Kings Own Scottish Borderers

[Garry Shipton (RIP)]

I have,sitting in front of me,a glengarry hat badge my dad traded with a Heeland lad while on leave in Scotland around 1942.It is not pewter..The top has the lion rampant over the King's crown.The main badge has the cross of Scotland interimposed across the badge.The middle of the badge shows the front of a three turreted castleThe motto schroll says "Ominus" and the latin "schroll under the crown says,and it's very hard to read,but I'll try."La VERITATE RELIGIOUSE COMFTO." Does anyone have any further history on this regiment/history/motto
\Best regards

[Mark W. Tonner]

Originally posted by Garry Shipton
I have,sitting in front of me,a glengarry hat badge my dad traded with a Heeland lad while on leave in Scotland around 1942.It is not pewter..The top has the lion rampant over the King's crown.The main badge has the cross of Scotland interimposed across the badge.The middle of the badge shows the front of a three turreted castleThe motto schroll says "Ominus" and the latin "schroll under the crown says,and it's very hard to read,but I'll try."La VERITATE RELIGIOUSE COMFTO." Does anyone have any further history on this regiment/history/motto
\Best regards

Hi Garry;

The Regiment was raised on 18 March 1689 by Act of the Scottish Parliament, with David Melville, 3rd Earl of Leven as Colonel. It was raised to defend Edinburgh against the forces of ex-King James II and mustered within four hours and mounted guard on the gates of Edinburgh on the evening of 18 March. It has been a Regiment of the British Army since April 1689, when it was brought onto the regular establishment by King William III. The KOSB is one of the few Regiments to have never been amalgamated, but this is soon to change, since under the 16 Dec 2004, Future Infantry Structures announced by the Secretary of State for Defence, the KOSB are to become part of the Royal Regiment of Scotland (2006).

Unoffical motto of the KOSB:

"Once a Borderer, Always a Borderer"

Official mottos of the KOSB:

"In Veritate Religonis Confido" (I trust in the truth of religion)

and

"Nisi Dominus Frustra" (Unless the Lord be with us all is in vain)

Titles of the KOSB:

1689 - The Earl of Leven's Regiment of Foot (also known as 'The Edinburgh Regiment')
1751 - 25th (Edinburgh) Regiment of Foot
1782 - 25th (Sussex) Regiment of Foot
1805 - 25th (King's Own Borderers) Regiment of Foot
1881 - The King's Own Borderers
1887 - The King's Own Scottish Borderers

- 2nd Battalion:

1795 - raised and disbanded
1804 - re-raised
1816 - disbanded
1859 - re-raised
1947 - disbanded

Uniform:

blue doublet; trews, Leslie tartan; blue facings

Pipers wear the Royal Stewart tartan

Regimental Marches:

Quick Time: Blue Bonnets o'er the Border
Slow Time: The Borderers
The Charge: The Standard on the Braes of Mar

Regimental Headquarters and Regimental Museum:

The Barracks, Berwick-on-Tweed, Northumberland

Thats about all I can think of Garry.

Cheers

P.S. - The middle of the badge shows the front of a three turreted castle that you mention above is Edinburgh Castle

[Garry Shipton (RIP)]

Again,owe you a 24.Great work my friend.By the way,any value for this badge,not that you would have any idea??

[Rob van Meel]

Hi,

There are quite a number of slightly different badges around. Other ranks in price may vary from GB pounds 5 on to 15-20 for the WW2 specimen.
Just returned from the Berwick-on-Tweed military Tattoo, in which we as re-enactors portrayed the 7th battalion KOSB (Europe 1944-45). Incidently, a veteran of this air landing battalion claims that they wore a plastic parachute regiment badge on their Glengarry whilst on home leave, and under normal circumstances the maroon baret with the KOSB badge.
Museum is great, and the curator is very helpful, but with the amalgamation of Scotttish regiments this museum may close down in the near future, so go and see it whilst it is still there. Berwick barracks were the first purpose built barracks in the UK, between 1700 and 1800.

Rob