The Black Watch to patrol Baghdad

Originally posted by Nygdan
Only question is.....will they be wearing kilts?


I do recall reading about highlander regiments being pinned down during the Boer War, oddly enough, suffering from a heck of a sun burn on their legs. I imagine its bad enough to be scottish or on the high veld, but both? At noon? Ouch man, ouch.

no , kilts sorta are not the best camo, they are good to wear BTW.
they give good air con and are very comfetable.

Originally posted by BillyTheCat
Getting back to the thread.....the main problem the Black Watch will face is that they will simply be seen as soldiers. Out here a US soldier is classed as a target....simple as that. I think that it will take a while for the local population to realise that these guys are British Army. Sadly until this becomes widespread knowledge then there is every chance that the BW will take casulties.

yeah , but they might notice the big british flag on the last bergen of the last man in the squad. but yeah they will most likely be targeted. hopefully some fresh ideas can help out a bit.

However.....as I have said before.....the average Iraqi tends to like the British. This is mainly because Iraq was a Brit colony until 1932, with the British Army only pulling out in the late 1950's. Until Saddam came to power we were still sending British Army Training Teams (BATTs) to the country on a fairly regular basis.

yeah thats a gd point

So lets hope that the message that the Black Watch are British Army gets out on the streets ASAP

yeah hope so.

Hey Billy

Just wondering how things are down by the tigris, got some friends over there and in afghanistan, but as im sure your aware there phonecalls etc strictly reserved for family(time constraints etc).

reading between the lines in your other post( sorry couldnt find it) seems you may share some of the same background.So i guess your shall we say freelance now
Anyway stay safe and remember never fear the bullet with your name on fear the one thats says" to whom it may concern"


In reguards to black watch. they will be fine , good training good men

i hope that our style of doings things will quickly be noticed as down south may even force the us to change it tactics , which as much as the yanks may not like it, would be for the better.

just curious billy, any ideas if our roadside bomb detectors will work on these roadside bombs up north?(thats if there any different etc)

This may just be PR and unit myth but back in the late 1950s didnt the Argyls announce thier arrival to contain an insurrection down in the Southern end of the Saudi Peninsular by assembling the thier Pipes and Drums on the roof of the complex they were operating from each morning and playing a blaring rendition of thier Regimental march as they raised the flag each morning.

As this was going on the "Jocks" would head out on thier patrols wearing thier berets with Regimental fixings and kilts so that people would know it was the Highlanders on the job.

Apparently it did the job, kept the boys morale up and made thier CO very happy.....I think his nickname was Black Jack or Mad Jack?

The local insurgents had killed some Service Corps guys in an ambush. The Argyls had sorted out most of the problem by the end of thier tour.

I know it sounds tacky but peope still do move between and get news in Baghdad about Basra right? Maybe until the locals get used to them it wouldn't hurt to make clear who these guys are. Then the squaddies could switch back to trousers.

Ah. Its probably a daft idea.

well most of our marines and argyl's and infact most scottish units hell british units wear berets when out and about, you dont want to keep your uncomfy,sweaty helmet for a whole assault, or so my sargent says.
yeah they do it shows we are not afraid and say to them

Guys.....some good ideas coming out on this thread, but please remember that Baghdad is the most dangerous city, in the most dangerous country in the world. Let me assure you that NOBODY wears berets out on the streets here, let alone kilts. Its just to dangerous. No, sadly the security situation here dictates that military personel wear full body armour and helmets at all times, when there is any chance that they may have any form of contact, which is when ever they are out on the streets. It is in most units SOP's that helmets and body armour are within reach at all times. In fact since the suicide attacks in the Green Zone many civilian companies insist that ALL personel wear helmets and vests when ever they are outside a building.


Yes I am a civilian Operator these days and the view I have of the Tigris is excellent. I could probably throw a stone into it from where I am, but don't know if I would want to swim in it, as about 80% of the sewerage from Baghdad is pumped directly into it, without any form of treatment! LOL


Roadside bomb detectors??. To be honest don't know much about these. If they have them then I hope that they do work, because this is one of the biggest threats against them.


Well, heavy fighting in Fallujha tonight and a big bloody dust/sand stom blowing in Baghdad. I've waffled enough now. Someone else's turn.

Originally posted by BillyTheCat
Guys.....some good ideas coming out on this thread, but please remember that Baghdad is the most dangerous city, in the most dangerous country in the world. Let me assure you that NOBODY wears berets out on the streets here, let alone kilts. Its just to dangerous. No, sadly the security situation here dictates that military personel wear full body armour and helmets at all times, when there is any chance that they may have any form of contact, which is when ever they are out on the streets. It is in most units SOP's that helmets and body armour are within reach at all times. In fact since the suicide attacks in the Green Zone many civilian companies insist that ALL personel wear helmets and vests when ever they are outside a building.

so the falklands war wasnt a dangerous situation? seriosly i think they will.
they do keep thier helmets but mostly wear thier berets.

Roadside bomb detectors??. To be honest don't know much about these. If they have them then I hope that they do work, because this is one of the biggest threats against them.

lol how would you make a raod side bomb detector?

Let me tell you something about the Falklands......we were using equipment that was out dated by 40 years or so!

You are talking about troops who were still being issued boots first designed in the 1940's........I know I still suffer from trench foot 24 years later. We didn't have kevlar helmets, body armour, gortex waterproofs, automatic personal weapons, bivi bags or anything that is now the norm. We wore berets because thats all we had to wear! LOL

Trust me there are no military units operating in Baghdad wearing berets.

The operational area has not been releaed to the public but it has been made clear the Black Watch or any unit that is to be re assigned will not be sent to Bagdad

Pardon and forgive us Billy,

I also think that because the Falklands was fought on a bloody big sparsely populated island and not a urban free fire zone like Baghdad had something to do with.

Do I detect someone who remembers what it was like to be cold and wet and bedding with penguins? (I was going to say sheep, but then thier available in Baghdad I guess *smirks*)

I remember pictures and stories of a number of RMs and Paras making sure they had thier pots on when they knew they were going in someplace they were going to get shot at in the Flaklands.

Besides? dont all 21st Century military units now have private contracted liability and due care advisors? "Workplace" Health & Safety Sir!



Still, it would be "nice" if there was some way the BW boys could announce thier arrival loud and clear.....any benefit is better than none ( I wonder what a kilt under protective body armour looks like? and armoured "leg warmers").

Sorry to be flippant Billy.....but you develop a strange sense of humor when it comes to dark subjects.

Yes....the Para's did have helmets!....they wore their 'jump helmets'...lucky sods. We on the other hand were issued with 'tin' helmets from the 1950's. Most guys ditched them when we moved inland because:

1. We were each carrying around 100/110 lbs in kit.

2. The helmets were uncomfortable.

3. They offered very little protection.

Oh well....it won't take the brains of an Arch Bishop to work out which branch of the military I served with!

Oh you were the guys wearing nicked argentine helmets!

Sorry to be still off topic but..

One of my exs, when I was still a kid and been in the Australian ARes six months....well turned out when I met her dad, he was a retired RM CSM.
Joined straight out of school post WW2 and been just about everywhere the "anchor and globe" boys went bar Suez.

His name was Bill Agate. His usual comment was "at least you arent a total civilian".......god he impressed me.

He retired and migrated to Oz in the late 1960s and was President of the RM Association at the local RSL.

Told me one story about exercises with NATO on the Northern Flank. Working with USMC and a Gunnery Sgt USMC with his hands in his pockets comes up to his outfits RSM and asks him what does RM stand for? The RSM deadpan, says "Real Marine" and walks off.

Thought I'd give you a laugh.

Originally posted by BillyTheCat
Let me tell you something about the Falklands......we were using equipment that was out dated by 40 years or so!

yeah i know i've heard the stories.

You are talking about troops who were still being issued boots first designed in the 1940's........I know I still suffer from trench foot 24 years later. We didn't have kevlar helmets, body armour, gortex waterproofs, automatic personal weapons, bivi bags or anything that is now the norm. We wore berets because thats all we had to wear! LOL

so when you see marines and scotish units out walking about in berets thier what?

Trust me there are no military units operating in Baghdad wearing berets.

mabye not at first but after a while probably.

Originally posted by Nerdling
Instead of sending English soldiers that may affect a future British election if they die they're sending Scottish soldiers.

The irish guard and scots guards are always the first into the fray.. we only want dead foreigners!

Also it's not "just filed with scots" it IS/was a scottish regiment (batallion now). But any british national can be in it as far as i know.

I am half Scot (a British subject as a result) and an Australian citizen. I remember reading on the BW site a while back that they have recruits from Aust, NZ and some other commonwealth countries, as far as I am aware.

www.army.mod.uk...

Here is the link for the sake of intrest.

Ooohh new history site here:

www.theblackwatch.co.uk...

[edit on 22/10/2004 by Corinthas]

Originally posted by cargo
I am half Scot (a British subject as a result) and an Australian citizen. I remember reading on the BW site a while back that they have recruits from Aust, NZ and some other commonwealth countries, as far as I am aware.

yeah you can apply for them from any regiment i think, not to good with army info, but its entirely up to choice some like the local regiments some dont its all about opinion

Originally posted by cargo
I am half Scot (a British subject as a result) and an Australian citizen. I remember reading on the BW site a while back that they have recruits from Aust, NZ and some other commonwealth countries, as far as I am aware.

Thats the old name for us we are no longer "subjects" but citizens.
Oh, I say!
Rah-rah for progres, what my old bean?

There has been a push over the last 5 years or so to recruit for the British Armed Forces from the former 'Common Wealth' countries. These include Canada, Australia, New Zealand etc etc.

This is due to the problems associated with trying to recruit people of the right caliber and mind set, from the UK. Sadly it would appear that too many hours sat in front of the X Box has turned many young potential British recruits into lardy, unfit couch potatoes!

So yes, it is quite concievable that the Black Watch does have amongst its ranks members from the Common Wealth.

Ahhhhh.......I remember when an electronic game was a torch.....that changed colours!