By Chris Ferguson

BRITAIN’S second-most senior soldier faced calls to quit last night and stood accused of betraying Black Watch men fighting in Iraq.

Lieutenant-General Sir Alistair Irwin, the British Army’s adjutant-general and Colonel of The Black Watch, was said to be the author of a strategy paper written in May last year advocating the end of the Scottish regimental system.

The paper was written over a year before Sir Alistair and colonels of the other five regiments began consulting on infantry reform in Scotland.

Last night critics of Sir Alistair described the consultation process as a charade with only one outcome—the reduction and amalgamation of Scotland’s historic regiments.

The Ministry of Defence in Scotland could not confirm the existence of the strategy paper attributed to Sir Alistair and denied the outcome of consultation is a foregone conclusion.

“Everything is out to consultation and until a decision is made, anything else is speculation,” said a spokesperson.

Pressure group, Save The Scottish Regiments, said it has obtained a copy of the paper in which it is claimed he argues for the end of the single battalion regiment system.

Group spokesman, Dundee business man Jeff Duncan said, “It would appear that Scotland’s most senior soldier drew up the controversial blueprint for dismantling the six existing Scottish infantry regiments while he was supposed to be defending their interests in Whitehall.”

Sir Alistair is Colonel Commandant of the Scottish Division which means he is chairman of the committee of colonels which will decide the future shape of the infantry in Scotland.

Save The Scottish Regiments claims the emergence of the document arguing for the scrapping of regiments compromises his position as head of the committee which will decide their future.

“Save The Scottish Regiments is calling for General Irwin’s immediate resignation as colonel commandant of the Scottish Division,” said Mr Duncan.

“He has effectively betrayed the trust of the officers and men he was honour-bound to defend.

“It is an insult to the soldiers of Scotland’s regiments that he is placed in a position to represent their interests and then formulates the plan to destroy their heritage.”

Sir Alistair has also been accused of capitulating to Government demands by the vice-chairman of Perth Black Watch Association.

Jim Baird and fellow members were angered by a letter from Sir Alistair to the Red Hackle magazine. Sir Alistair is quoted as saying, “I very much fear that we must now begin to come to terms with the fact that in one degree or another, the regiment is facing a key moment in its life.”

Mr Baird said, “Lt General Irwin’s Red Hackle letter has caused real upset because it looks as if he has thrown in the towel and didn’t have the stomach for the fight.

“The suspicion is that he had agreed to the changes long before the colonels meet next month to thrash out the way ahead.

“The Scottish regiments have to band together and fight as one otherwise they will be picked off over the years if the politicians are allowed to get away with this.”