By Steve Bargeton, political editor

FIRST MINISTER Alex Salmond yesterday pledged to fight to preserve the centuries old traditions of the Scottish infantry regiments, including The Black Watch which recruits from Fife and Tayside.

At Question Time he told MSPs he was writing to Defence Secretary Des Browne asking him to ensure that commitments given by army generals are honoured.

Amid fierce controversy Scotland’s six infantry regiments were merged into a single five-battalion regiment, The Royal Regiment of Scotland.

At the time of the change army chiefs vowed to preserve the so-called “golden thread” of military history when the units lost their regimental status.

This included, the case of The Black Watch, wearing the famous red hackle, recruiting from traditional areas and a guarantee that new recruits would be allowed to serve in the battalion of their choice.

But this week campaigners who opposed the merger of the regiments have been up in arms over reports that in future new recruits would be assigned where operational requirements were greatest.

In parliament yesterday, Scottish Tory deputy leader Murdo Fraser said his party was “appalled at this breach of promise from the Ministry of Defence and the army.”

The Mid Scotland and Fife MSP said that went “against all the pledges made at the time of the regimental mergers.”

Mr Salmond told MSPs that he had met campaigners from Restore Our Army Regiments.

“They argued strongly that a number of commitments that had been previously given had not been kept by the Ministry of Defence in terms of the golden thread,” he said.

“I raised the matter within days at a meeting with Des Browne, and promised to write to him with full details provided by the campaign. That will be done within the next few days.”

Mr Salmond said that the initial response from Mr Browne, who is also Secretary of State for Scotland, was positive.

“The Defence Secretary’s initial response to that at the meeting was that the government would be prepared to discharge the obligations and commitments that they made,” he said.

“I thought that was quite a hopeful response, which is why I am sending such a detailed letter to the Defence Secretary.”

Later a spokesman for First Minister said, “The First Minister pledged to raise these issues with the UK Government when he met the Restore Our Army Regiments campaign last month, as clear promises were made about maintaining regimental identity which have not been honoured,” he said.

“Mr Salmond raised these issues when he met with the Defence and Scottish Secretary Des Browne, and undertook to provide the relevant information in writing.”