THE 42nd Royal Highland Regiment

The 42nd Royal Highland Regiment ‘The Black Watch’ grew out of the local companies in Scotland first formed in 1725 to police the Highlands after the 1715 Jacobite Rebellion. They gathered the name ‘The Black Watch’ from their dark, government set tartan kilt. In 1739 the Earl of Crawford raised further companies and formed a regiment of foot. In 1758 ‘The Royal Highland’ was added to the ‘42nd Regiment of Foot’. The Black Watch is the senior highland. It fought its first battle in 1745 at Fontenoy in Flanders against the French. The Black Watch fought in North America, across Europe against Napoleon’s armies culminating at Waterloo, Crimea, India, Egypt and countless other battles and wars right up to the present day. The Black Watch first arrived in Malta during December 1800 when British forces were gathered to fight Napoleon’s armies in Egypt. While in Malta, the 42nd was one of the largest regiments here. During their brief stay they were also used to police the different regiments gathering in Malta. The 42nd, in the HRGM also forms part of an honour guard and is connected and registered with the UK and the German 42nd