Historical Records of the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders

Introduction

These historical records of the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders have been compiled by a Committee consisting of Major-General J. S. Ewart, C.B., Major S. S. S. Clarke, Captain P. T. C. Baird, Captain E. Craig-Brown, Captain D. N. C. C. Miers, Captain J. W. Sandilands, D.S.O., Captain H. S. L. Alford (3rd Battalion), Captain T. Gibson (4th Battalion), Lieutenant A. H. Mackintosh, and Sergeant-Major J. C. Austin.

The members of the Committee have received great assistance in their work from time to time from Major N. J. G. Cameron, Major J. Campbell (4th Battalion), Captain W. M. Stewart, Captain A. G. Cameron, Lieutenant J. G. Ramsay, Quarter-Master-Sergeant F. Coiledge, and the late Quarter-Master-Sergeant J. Mackenzie.

They beg to acknowledge their indebtedness for much valuable information taken from the following works:—

Captain Robert Jameson’s ‘Historical Record of the Seventy-Ninth Regiment of Foot.’
Mr Alexander Mackenzie’s 'History of the Camerons.’
Captain R. A. Wyvill’s 'Military Life.’
Lieutenant John Ford’s Manuscript Journal.
Captain Douglas Wimberley’s ‘ 79th or Cameron Highlanders in the Indian Mutiny Campaign in 1858.’
Major Baynes’ ‘Narrative of the Part taken by the 79th in the Egyptian Campaign of 1882.’
‘The Historical Records of the 79th Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders,’ published in 1887 by Messrs A. H. Swiss & Co., Devonport.
‘An Alphabetical List of the Officers of the Seventy - Ninth Regiment or Cameron Highlanders from 1800-1851,’ by Henry Stooks Smith.
‘The Egyptian Soudan, its Loss and Recovery,’ by H. S. L. Alford and W. D. Sword.
‘South African War Record of the 1st Battalion Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders, 1900-1-2' compiled by Major N. J. G. Cameron.
Mr W. Drummond Norie’s ‘Loyal Lochaber.’
The Rev. A. Maclean Sinclair’s ‘The Clan Gillean' 1
‘The 79th News'

They have also to thank Lady Jane Taylor for her kindness in allowing them access to the letters written by the late General Sir Richard Taylor, G.C.B., from the Crimea and India.

The work owes its series of coloured Plates to the generous efforts of Major R. A. Wymer and J. C. Leask, Esq., who have spared no pains to arrive at accuracy in depicting the various uniforms of the periods selected for illustration. In this connection the Committee gratefully record the thanks due to Colonel C. Greenhill-Gardyne, W. Skeoch Cumming, Esq., S. M. Milne, Esq., the late Quarter-Master-Sergeant J. Mackenzie, and many others, for invaluable help in the collection of details about the dress of the Cameron Highlanders.

The friends of the regiment who have courteously complied with requests for information about its earlier history and customs are too numerous to mention here individually; in many cases they have been of great assistance.

The following have lent pictures, photographs, miniatures, regimental relics, and important papers to the Committee, and have kindly given permission, where required, for their reproduction:—

The late Colonel Douglas Alleyne.
Colonel John Angus, Inverness.
Captain N. J. M. Archdall.
Lieutenant-Colonel H. Allan Bate, Ottawa.
George Fraser Bruce, Esq., Ontario.
Commander A. Cameron Bruce, Royal Navy.
A. C. Bruce-Pryce, Esq., Cheltenham.
Dr J. A. Cameron, Naim.
Dr Kenneth Cameron, Montreal. ,
D. Macpherson Cameron, Esq., Hamilton, Canada.
The late Mrs Nathaniel Cameron of Erracht.
Patrick Cameron, Esq., Corrychoillie.
Mrs Cameron Head, Inverailort.
Mrs Cameron Hudson, Ontario.
Mrs Campbell-Maclachlan, Southampton. ,
Colonel W. Haskett Smith.
A. Holford, Esq., 7 Cranley Gardens, S.W.
J. A. Horsburgh, Esq., Edinburgh.
Mrs Kirkpatrick, Kingston, Canada.
Colonel A. Y. Leslie of Kininvie.
Miss M'Kinlay, Edinburgh.
Colonel Norman MacLeod of Dalvey.
General G. Murray Miller, C.B.
Colonel J. F. Miller.
Mrs Moyes, Perth.
R. C. Munro-Ferguson, Esq., M.P., of Rai th.
Colonel T. B. Nowlan, Royal Army Clothing Department.
Mrs Orr, Edinburgh.
Colonel W. N. Ponton, Belleville, Ontario.
Colonel M. S. Riach.
Miss Riach, Perth.
Colour-Sergeant J. M. Rose, late 3rd Battalion.
Rev. H. Somers-Cocks.
Mrs Stewart, Inverness.
Mr Robert White, Edinburgh, late Band - Sergeant, Cameron Highlanders.
Miss Young, Lincluden, Dumfries.