The Lovat Scouts was a British Army unit first formed during the Second Boer War as a Scottish Highland yeomanry regiment. They were the first known military unit to wear a ghillie suit, and were renowned for their elite reconnaissance capabilities. In 1916, the Lovat Scouts formally became the British Army's first sniper unit, then known as "sharpshooters". The regiment served in the First World War and Second World War.

History

Formation and early history

215px|thumb|Simon Fraser, 14th Lord Lovat

150px|thumb|The Lovat Scouts, 1900, Player's Cigarette Card

The regiment was formed in January 1900 for service in the Second Boer War by Simon Fraser, 14th Lord Lovat, Chief of Clan Fraser of Lovat, as the Lovat Scouts. Recruited initially from gamekeepers and professional stalkers on Highland estates, the unit was commanded by the Hon. Andrew David Murray from his appointment by Lord Lovat in February 1900 until killed in action September 1901. After his death Lord Lovat, who had hitherto served as second-in-command of the regiment, took command himself (aged 29), and in such a role he remained till the end of the war. Well practiced in the arts of marksmanship, fieldcraft and military tactics, they were also phenomenal woodsmen "always ready to tempt fate", but also practitioners of discretion: "He who shoots and runs away, lives to shoot another day." The Lovat Scouts have the distinction of being the first military unit to wear a Ghillie suit.

Lovat Scouts were attached to the Black Watch, but were disbanded in July 1901 while two companies (the 113th and 114th) were formed for the second contingent of the Imperial Yeomanry (IY) and another (178th) for the third contingent. After the end of the Second Boer War in June 1902, the companies returned to the United Kingdom on SS Tintagel Castle two months later, and were disbanded. The unit was reformed the following year, consisting of two battalions, titled the 1st and 2nd Lovat Scouts. From these Scouts a sharpshooter unit was formed and formally become the British Army's first sniper unit. It reverted to the Lovat's Scouts Yeomanry when the yeomanry regiments transferred to the Territorial Force in April 1908. The regiment was based at Croyard Road near Beauly at this time (since demolished).

First World War

In accordance with the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907 (7 Edw. 7, c.9) which brought the Territorial Force into being, the TF was intended to be a home defence force for service during wartime and members could not be compelled to serve outside the country. However, on the outbreak of war on 4 August 1914, many members volunteered for Imperial Service. Therefore, TF units were split in August and September 1914 into 1st Line (liable for overseas service) and 2nd Line (home service for those unable or unwilling to serve overseas) units. Later, a 3rd Line was formed to act as a reserve, providing trained replacements for the 1st and 2nd Line regiments.

1/1st and 1/2nd Lovat Scouts

The 1/1st Lovat's Scouts Yeomanry landed in Gallipoli in September 1915. It was evacuated to Egypt in December 1915 and then converted into 10th (Lovat's Scouts) Battalion, the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders in September 1916. On 31 March 1916, the remaining Mounted Brigades were ordered to be numbered in a single sequence; the brigade became the 1st Mounted Brigade and joined 1st Mounted Division in Norfolk.thumb|175px|Lovat Scouts in ghillie suits|left

Second World War

thumb|Canadian mountaineer and guide William Blacklaw helped train the Lovat Scouts during their mountain training

thumb|Lovat Scouts ski training in Alberta, Canada

From May 1940 to June 1942, the Lovat Scouts provided the garrison in the Faroe Islands, protecting against the feared German invasion. The regiment at this time was under the command of Lt.-Col. Sir Donald Cameron of Lochiel, 26th Chief of Clan Cameron. After stationing in Scotland, the regiment was sent to Canada in December 1943 for specialist ski and mountain training. They sailed on the Mauretania for 11 days. They pulled into Grand Central Station, New York and then travelled on the Canadian Pacific Railway eventually arriving in Jasper, Alberta after five days. The training, which took place in remote areas of Jasper National Park, started with basic ski training. The emphasis was on cross country work with the type of load that would have to be carried in action e.g. sleeping bag, rations for two or more days, and a rifle. This was followed by survival instruction—what to do and what not to do to exist and function in very cold conditions e.g. by digging snow holes in which to sleep, or erecting simple shelters from the virgin pine and spruce forests. After this stage, there was instruction and practice in ascents on snow and ice, use of ice axe, crampons etc.

Typically, men would spend three or four weeks at a mountain base, in the vicinity of Mount Edith Cavell, or in the Tonquin Valley—all within the 4200 square miles of Jasper National Park. In that time, squadrons would practice their survival work in expeditions usually lasting about two or three days at a time, with the men sleeping in snow holes. For the remainder of the time, they were billeted in canvas marquees, each accommodating about 25 men, with a large wood-burning stove in the middle that was kept on night and day with logs sawn from the fallen or naturally dead trees in the area. The regiment took part in the remainder of the Italian campaign, and the German surrender in early May 1945.

The regiment underwent further changes when the TA was reorganised on 1 May 1961:

Music

The Lovat Scouts is a lively Scottish quickstep and strathspey, written in the bagpipe idiom by James Scott Skinner.

Memorials

There is a memorial to the Lovat Scouts in the town square of Beauly, Inverness.

See also

  • Imperial Yeomanry
  • List of Yeomanry Regiments 1908
  • Yeomanry
  • Yeomanry order of precedence
  • British yeomanry during the First World War
  • Second line yeomanry regiments of the British Army
  • Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
  • Commandos (United Kingdom)

References

Bibliography

  • J.B.M. Frederick, Lineage Book of British Land Forces 1660–1978, Vol I, Wakefield: Microform Academic, 1984, .
  • J.B.M. Frederick, Lineage Book of British Land Forces 1660–1978, Vol II, Wakefield: Microform Academic, 1984, .
  • Norman E.H. Litchfield, The Territorial Artillery 1908–1988 (Their Lineage, Uniforms and Badges), Nottingham: Sherwood Press, 1992, .
  • Chris Baker, The Long, Long Trail
  • Land Forces of Britain, the Empire and Commonwealth – Regiments.org (archive site)
  • Scottish Military History Website - Lovat Scouts
  • A History of the Lovat Scouts, with Pictures