List of battalions of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's) facts for kids

The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders was a famous infantry regiment in the British Army. It existed from 1881 to 2006. This article lists the different groups of soldiers, called battalions, that were part of this regiment over the years.

How the Regiment Began

In 1881, two Scottish regiments, the 91st Highlanders and the 93rd Highlanders, joined forces. They became the Princess Louise's (Sutherland and Argyll Highlanders). This change was part of big army reforms.

At that time, nine other groups of soldiers from different areas like Argyllshire and Renfrewshire also joined the regiment. These included "militia" and "volunteer" battalions. Volunteer groups had started in the late 1850s. People worried that France might invade Britain. These volunteers were mostly middle-class citizens. They were called "rifle volunteer corps" and were separate from the main British Army.

Changes in 1908

In 1908, the army changed again. A new group called the Territorial Force was created. Later, this became the Territorial Army. The volunteer battalions joined this new force. The militia battalions became part of the "Special Reserve." All the volunteer battalions were renumbered to make a single, clear list.

Battalions in the First World War

During the First World War, the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders grew a lot. They had 27 battalions fighting. Sadly, over 6,900 officers and soldiers from the regiment lost their lives.

The existing territorial battalions created "second" and "third" line battalions. For example, the 5th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders had 1/5th, 2/5th, and 3/5th battalions. The 3rd line battalions later became "reserve" battalions.

New groups called the Volunteer Training Corps were also formed. These were for older men or those in important jobs. They were linked to county regiments later in the war.

Between the World Wars

By 1921, most of the battalions created for the war were disbanded. The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders did not return to its original small size. Two of its territorial battalions joined together. The Special Reserve battalions were put on hold. As World War II got closer, many army battalions changed roles. Some became anti-aircraft units.

Battalions in the Second World War

The regiment grew during the Second World War, but not as much as in the First World War. New "Home Defence" battalions were created. Also, three Home Guard battalions were linked to the regiment. They even wore the regiment's cap badge.

After the Second World War

After the war, the army became much smaller. Many regiments combined their first and second battalions. The Supplementary Reserve was also disbanded.

Later Changes

In 1999, the 7th/8th Battalion joined with parts of other Scottish regiments. They formed a new group called the 51st Highland Regiment.

Final Amalgamation

In 2006, the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders joined with several other famous Scottish regiments. These included the Royal Scots, King's Own Scottish Borderers, and Black Watch. Together, they formed a brand new regiment called the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The 1st battalion of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders became the 5th Battalion of this new Royal Regiment.