9274: Cameron Highlanders

The 79th Regiment of Foot (Cameron Volunteers) was raised by Sir Allan Cameron of Erracht in 1793, becoming incorporated into the British Army in 1804. In 1806 the name was revised slightly to become the 79th Regiment of Foot (Cameron Highlanders).

Having served in the French Revolutionary, Napoleonic and Crimean Wars, followed by the Indian Mutiny, the regiment returned to the UK. In 1873 it was presented with new colours by Queen Victoria, who directed that the regiment would in future be known as the 79th Regiment, Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders. It became the county regiment of Inverness-shire in 1881, later fighting in Egypt, Sudan and the Second Boer War.

Nine of the regiment’s thirteen battalions fought in the First World War, with more detail about their engagements on the Long, Long Trail website which covers the British Army and its soldiers during the 1914-18 war. Amongst the soldiers was the Gaelic war poet Dòmhnall Ruadh Chorùna.

Four battalions fought during the Second World War: one battalion was evacuated from Dunkirk and went on to fight in Burma; another battalion fought in North Africa (Desert Rats) Eritrea and Italy.

In 1961 the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders were amalgamated with the Seaforth Highlanders to form the Queen’s Own Highlanders, now incorporated into 4th Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland.

A memorial to the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders is located in Station Square, Inverness.