Pipe Major's dirk to the Royal Scots. Very rare and unique dirk. Double etched blade with scalloped spine. On one side 25 battle honours: Blenheim, Ramillies, Oudenarde, Malplaquet, Louisburg, St. Lucia, Egmont-op-Zee, Egypt, Corunna, Busaco, Salamanca, Vittoria, St Sebastian, Nive, Peninsula, Niagra, Waterloo, Nagpore, Maheidpore, Ava, Alma, Inkerman, Sevastopol, Taku Forts, Pekin. On the other side 'Nemo Me Impune Lacessit', St Andrew and celtic scrolls. Gilt throat fitting of dirk handle with raised letters The ROYAL SCOTS, the sheath fittings in gilt with Scottish Celtic curves and sways with animal heads. The sheath throat with regimental crest. Matching knife and fork ensuite. Condition: Very good overall, with pitting to blade.
The Battle honours on the dirk stop at Pekin which took place in 1860. The next battle honour of the regiment is to South Africa 1899-1902. Based on this, and the fact that the regiment changed its name in 1971 from the '1st or The Royal Regiment' to the '1st or The Royal Scots Regiment', the estimated period of this dirk is between 1871 and 1899.
Ref 37. The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment)
1871 - 1899
The Royal Scots was not a kilted regiment, except for pipers and pipe majors.
The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment), once known as the Royal Regiment of Foot, was the oldest and most senior infantry regiment of the line of the British Army, having been raised in 1633 during the reign of Charles I of Scotland.
The regiment existed continuously until 2006, when it amalgamated with the King's Own Scottish Borderers to become the Royal Scots Borderers, which merged with the Royal Highland Fusiliers (Princess Margaret's Own Glasgow and Ayrshire Regiment), the Black Watch, the Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons) and the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders to form the Royal Regiment of Scotland.