Description
Physical description
Silver anodised aluminium two-piece headdress badge to other ranks of the Queen's Own Highlanders (Seaforth & Camerons), being a St. Edward's (Queen's) crown surmounting a thistle flower between two leaves, this as a separate component set between the antlers of a deer's head, (caboshed – shown with no neck), resting on a downward scroll on which embossed CUIDICH 'N RIGH (Aid the King). Two loops to reverse of thistle, four loops to reverse deer's head. Captioned "Headdress Badge".
Physical description
Box 34: mounting card captioned "Queen's Own Highlanders (Seaforth and Camerons) Other Ranks". Also captioned bottom left "54/Inf/8767", and bottom right "Box No 89". Reverse with six green sealing wax seals, some partial or overlapping, of an oval on which MINISTRY OF DEFENCE / PATTERN ROOM with in the centre ARMY / OFFICERS. Bottom edge a red oval stamp "Q (MAINT) 2 / MINISTRY OF DEFENCE" with in the centre "15 Jun 1970".
History note
The design elements of this cap badge derive from the two predecessor regiments to the "Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders (Seaforth and Camerons)". The ensigned (crowned) thistle derives from the collar badge of "The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders". The thistle surmounted by a crown is the Royal Badge of Scotland, given by Queen Anne in 1707 at the time of the passing of the Act of Union. On 12 May 1873 the badge was granted by Queen Victoria to the 79th Foot (Cameron Highlanders) following presentation of new colours to the Regiment. Shortly after, she conferred on them the title "Queen's Own". The "caboshed" (shown with no neck) head of the stag and the motto scroll both derive from the cap badge to "The Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, Duke of Albany's Own)". The stag's head and motto are from the Arms of the Earls of Seaforth, whose family raised the Regiment in 1778. Tradition has it that the badge with motto was a grant from King Alexander III of Scotland in 1266 to an ancestor of the family for his actions in saving the King's life when attacked by a stag. The badge was the only one in the British Army with a Gaelic motto.
History note
The "Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders (Seaforth and Camerons)" was a Regular Regiment that existed between 1961 and 1994. It was formed on 7th February 1961 by the amalgamation of the "Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, The Duke of Albany's)" and "The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders".
History note
The "Seaforth Highlanders" had been created in the Childers reforms of 1881 by the amalgamation of the "72nd Foot (Duke of Albany's Own Highlanders)" and the "78th Foot (Highlanders) (Ross-shire Buffs)". The sub-titles were a recognition of the family which had raised both regiments.
History note
The 72nd had been raised by Kenneth Mackenzie, the Earl of Seaforth, in 1778, being re-designated "72nd Foot (Duke of Albany's Own Highlanders)", named for Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany, ("The Grand Old Duke of York"), at that time heir-presumptive to George IV.
History note
The 78th had been raised in 1793, also by the Mackenzie family, designated in 1796 as "78th (Highland) Regiment of Foot (Ross-shire Buffs)", later "78th Foot (Highlanders) (Ross-shire Buffs)". The "Ross-shire" sub-title derived from the Mackenzies' estates in that County and the colour of the uniform collar and cuff facings.
History note
The "Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders" had been raised in 1793 by Sir Alan Cameron of Erracht, principally from members of Clan Cameron. They were designated "79th of Foot" in 1794, re-designated "79th Regiment of Foot (Cameronian Highlanders)" in 1804 and again re-designated in 1806 with "Camerons" in place of "Cameronians". The "Queen's Own" title was conferred by Queen Victoria in 1873. In the Childers reforms of 1881 they avoided amalgamation, the only change being the removal of the regimental number from their title.
History note
On amalgamation in 1961, the newly formed "Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders (Seaforth and Camerons)" were part of the Highland Brigade, along with The Gordon Highlanders. The Brigade was an administrative HQ unit for Scottish Highland Regiments and constituent regiments were required to wear the Brigade cap badge. In 1969 the Highland Brigade amalgamated with the Lowland Brigade to form the Scottish Division. This was a similar administrative HQ but as there was to be no common Divisional cap badge, regiments re-adopted their previous cap badges or, as with the "QOCH (S&C)", designed new ones to reflect amalgamations.
History note
In 1994 The "Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders (Seaforth and Camerons)" amalgamated with the "Gordon Highlanders" to form "The Highlanders (Seaforth, Cameron and Gordon)", adopting the Queen's Own's cap badge.
History note
The "Gordon Highlanders" were created in the 1881 reforms by the amalgamation of the "75th Foot (Stirlingshire)" and the "92nd Foot (Gordon Highlanders)".
History note
In 2006 "The Highlanders" became part of the newly formed "Royal Regiment of Scotland", under the designation "The Highlanders, 4th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland", wearing the new Regiment's but retaining other distinguishing marks, including a blue hackle.
Embossed on stag's head badge
CUIDICH'N RIGH