1 Not only that.....
The Duke of Wellington's Regiment - the only commoners regiment, the regiment with the most true battle honours in the world. The only regiment to be awarded two sets of royal colours. Who at the beginning on the Gulf war made the fastest Armoured deployment in military history (4 days from notification in Germany to battlefield). The regiment that was the pattern to almost all armies of the world - the one that bares the motto of Virtutis Fortune Comes (Fortune Favours the Brave) Will on the 6th of June 2006 (like the Black Watch) be amalgamated in the Yorkshire Regiment.
And why do I mention this?
Because on the 11th April 1983 a snot nosed youth joined their ranks and joined a family. He saw action in Belize, Northern Ireland and much later with the 3rd Bn in Bosnia.
He learned from that young age that the regiment wasn't about fighting for queen and country - it was about fighting for the history, family and honour of a regiment that like the Black Watch made a huge impact on world history.
The same Regiment with a solid sporting history in Rugby - producing no fewer than 11 international players and winning the Army cup no fewer than 15 times. Through it's history 50 players have been produced by the regiment to represent the British Army
He left regular Army and joined the Territorial army to continue service to his regiment as many did and with them fought in Bosnia.
After rising to the rank of colour sgt (a rank close to that of God in the British infantry - God being Sgt.Major)he was placed in charge of Somme Coy's Sniper platoon.
On the sun kissed morning of the 11th April 1983 he stood on an ancient parade square feeling the breeze flow past him and wondered how many thousands of men had stood where he stood and paid the price for doing so.
Within years he knew, those training months in 3 section, Gibraltar platoon were a distant memory and of all 3 section only one was still alive.

The 6th of June, 12 days shy of the Regiments most important day and that of it's most precious battle honour for 'Waterloo' the 'Dukes' melt into the history books never to return.

Oh who was that one man? - that was me

2 Oh just as a point to note. The Black Watch is 281 years old.
The Duke of Wellington's Regiment is over 300

3 I apologize, Simon, I didn't mean to slight the other regiments being 'retired' at that time.

At least amongst the amateurs here (he says, raising a wing), the Black Watch has "the Name," not to mention the color scheme that works great for redheads.

But the King's Own Scottish Borderers, the Royal Scots, the Royal Highland Fusiliers, the Highlanders, and the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, as well as the Black Watch are all disappearing, as well as Simon's Duke of Wellington's Regiment.

Proud units all. Bravo to all who served in them.

4 Nah, I'm just gutted like all the others... at least there will be a trace of most of us as we become amalgamated in new regiments, however some regiments like the Kings own scottish borders (KOSB)part of the original King's Division along with the Dukes will be completely deleted.
However, it has caused major trouble within the British Army as a whole and I will email you details of that - as it's amazing to the point that some regiments have been totally grounded because of the fear of trouble in the ranks.
Not good considering the enitre army is stretched beyond capacity. Yet we're still required to operate in more than 80 countries at present.
So need for the apology - I just felt the need to shout for them.