Statue in Black Watch Museum Gardens
Unveiled 21st June 2017

This statue was erected to commemorate the thousands of men, both Regular Army and Territorials, who joined the 51st Highland Division from 1908 to 1967. As a fighting formation they served with great distinction in the Great War (1914 – 1918) and in the Second World War (1939-1945).

When talking about the Division, Field Marshal The Viscount Alanbrooke, Chief of the Imperial General Staff said, "it takes its place alongside the very few which, through their valour and fighting record, stands in a category of their own".

The Division was first formed by bringing together the kilted Highland Infantry Regiments. Other Regiments provided machine gun battalions, reconnaissance units and pioneers. In addition the Division included elements of the Royal Armoured Corps, Royal Artillery, Royal Engineers, Royal Signals, Royal Army Service Corps, Royal Army Ordnance Corps and Royal Army Medical Corps as well as other supporting units.

Several battalions of The Black Watch served in the Division in both wars, notably the 6th and 7th Battalions during the Great War and the 1st, 5th and 7th Battalions during the Second World War.

This sculpture, depicting a piper of The Black Watch dressed in Second World War battledress, was the idea of Dr Tom Renouf MBE, MM, Legion d'Honneur, who served in the 5th Battalion The Black Watch in 1944/45. Sadly he died in 2016 before the statue could be sculpted and cast. Without the generosity of a number of people and organisations the project could not have been completed.

Sculptor: Mr Alan Herriot DA, ARBS
Casting: The Powderhall Bronze Factory
The 51st Highland Division and Ross Bequest Trust