By Chris Ferguson

THE FIGHT to prevent The Black Watch being forced into a Royal Regiment of Scotland is one that still can be won, a senior retired officer insisted yesterday.

Brigadier Garry Barnett, a former colonel of the regiment, said the example of the Government dropping plans to break up an English regiment should give campaigners hope.

The officer was speaking as those opposing infantry cuts and amalgamations prepare for a mass rally in Stirling this weekend.

Brigadier Barnett said the Government’s U-turn on splitting the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment between two other English regiments, should give campaigners fresh impetus to fight on.

He was also highly critical of the new infantry structure planned for Scotland and claimed it will be less effective operationally and have more difficulty recruiting than the current small regimental system.

Brigadier Barnett said army restructuring being pursued by the Government has failed to take into account the changing world security situation.

“(Defence Secretary) Mr Hoon is on record as saying technology will replace bayonets but he has been badly advised. We needed technology during the cold war but any war on terrorism needs men on the ground. We need all the existing battalions and they need to be fully recruited.

“The Defence Secretary make much of recruiting problems but how does he or General Sir Mike Jackson believe that the formation of large regiments and the destruction of traditional links with local regiments is going to improve matters is beyond my comprehension.

“I remain convinced that the proposed Royal Regiment of Scotland will be less effective operationally, will find links to local communities becoming less strong and recruiting will suffer all to the detriment of the defence of our country.”

The brigadier argued that retaining the existing Scottish Division structure is more likely to ensure full-strength battalions than the Government’s proposal.

On Saturday, regimental campaigners will gather in Stirling for the rally organised by the Regimental Association of The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.

The rally will form close to the esplanade of Stirling Castle at 11 am.

The main speaker will be General Sir John MacMillan, former general officer, commanding Scotland.

A week later, Save The Scottish Regiments will hold a rally in London, forming up at Speakers’ Corner at 1 pm for a march to Trafalgar Square by way of Park Lane and Picadilly. There will be speakers in Trafalgar Square at 3 pm.

Brigadier Barnett added, “We have to reverse these unwise decisions if the foreign policy aims of this Government, or any other, remain much the same as they are now.”