Our Black Watch Memorial                       

  At Aberfeldy, Tayside, there stands a proud memorial to the first muster of the six independent companies which were the basis of the Black Watch or Freiceadan Dubh, in 1739. A year later, with four more companies, they were formed into the Royal Highland Regiment – the now famous Black Watch – which has fought with pride and distinction in almost every British campaign since. What is significant about that memorial is that it has a partner here on the Rock, a cairn standing at the beginning of Catalan Bay Road, just past Restsso.

 Given the distance between Gibraltar and Tayside this may surprise a few people but they may not be aware of the relationship between these Scottish warriors and our Rock; a relationship which has extended for well over two hundred years.

       

 In 1940, the 4^th Battalion Black Watch, a Dundee Territorial Battalion, had been fighting in France but managed to escape just along the coast from Dunkirk. They were almost immediately despatched to Gibraltar and B Coy.   found themselves stationed at Catalan Bay, where as well as defending the east side, they provided working parties to assist the Royal Engineers. The highlanders navvied for the Engineers, on the construction of tunnels and defences in fact everything from pillboxes to the runway extension.

  

      Rock Gun plaque (by Eureka) and Jocks Balcony, both directly above the memorial cairn.

 What is perhaps less well known is that in October 1940, the Fortress Independent Company was established, with four platoons of men taken from the Kings, the Devons, the Somersets and the Black Watch. The original brief was for a raiding force, with a secondary role as reserve for counter-attack in the event of the Rock being invaded. The men were trained in boat handling, demolition, un-armed combat, sabotage, signalling, swimming with clothes and equipment and in night-fighting. All of which helped explain why some members of B Coy. found themselves patrolling the harbour and approaches in blacked-out small boats, fitted with Bren guns, searching for the Italian midget-subs who were attempting to fix limpet mines to the ships in the anchorage. These teams were widely respected and wartime Governor, General Mason-Macfarlane referred to them as ‘My professional killers.’

 The Black Watch last served on the Rock as resident battalion in 1970, and it seemed their memorial here had seen little attention since. It is somehow appropriate that with all the care being taken over the beautification of Gibraltar, somebody might give some similar attention to the cairn. Well it has happened. The Gibraltar Heritage Trust undertook the task and had the monument restored to its former glory. It is once again a fitting tribute to those men who served our Rock so well.

 

The red hackle worn by the Black Watch since 1795 and exclusively by them since 1822.  

 

First published at the Gibraltar Chronicle 9^thJanuary 2003 revisited 2024.   Paul Hodkinson.