ENTERTAINMENTS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVI, Issue 3572, 5 October 1916, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS.

FAMOUS SCOTTISH REGIMENTS.

LECTURE BY REV. W. C. BLAIR

There wa.s n good attendance at tho lecture, doiivcreu 1 in the Masonic Hail last evening by the Rev. \V. C. Blair on the subject "' Famous Scottish Regiments." The lecture was delivered under tho auspices of the Ashl urton County Scottish Society and in aid of the Red Cross Fund. Mr \V McDonald presided. rl lhe speaker said at the outset that his subject was rendered difficult by tho fact that there were no Scottish regiments that were not famous, and 'it was therefore hard to know what to say and what to leave unsaid. There .had, mdreover ? been many changes | in the designations of the various regi- ; ments, though they had always pre- [ served their identity and could be traced. Of Highland soldiers in general it might be said that sentiment, not sentimentalism, was one of ! their most notable characteristics, j.Treated kindly and wisely, they would I follow their officers into the cannon's mouth, but were intractable under ■" higher-driving" treatment. They looked upon the cause as their own rather, than merely as that of their loaders. They had hardihood, courago, and abstinence. The speaker described how. in 1697, a handful of Highland soldiers fighting with the forces of the French against the Germans took from the lnttor tho' most important of their positions on the Rhine. He quoted the stirring poem in which Aytoun celebrated the event. After a, general introduction, the first regiment with which Mr Blair dealt particularly, was tho immortal "-Black Watch " (42nd Royal [Inlanders): Of this regiment it had beeu said that its record was practically the record of the British Army since the middle of the 18th century, since fch-.w had been hardly one important isi itisn battle in which the " Blatch Watch" had not participated. He. graphically related the exploits that had made fiie "Black Watch" famous, dwelling particularly upon their deeds at Quntre Bras and Waterloo, in the Crimea, .nd in India. .

■ -The history of the 92nd (Gordon) Highlanders was next outlined, and the manner in which they contributed to the decision of Waterloo referred to. Famous names associated with the 92nd were recalled, among others that of Sir Hector M'acdonald, ".Fighting Mac." In describing the taking of the Dargai Ridge in India, the speaker quoted once more, giving a spiriteel rendering of the. iwera inspired by the performance of the Highlanders on that occasion.

The part played by the ?Bth (Seaforth) Highlanders. in the. relief of Lucknow and \ho. battle of Mngersfontoin, the illustrious annals of the Cameron Highlanders, and the record of the.93rd were dealt with in turn, and tales of pipers wore recounted. ' The concluding portion of the lecture was devoted to brief references to regiments of which the speaker had not .time to give a fuller account, and to a'few remarks upon Scotsmen and ihc present war. A hearty vote'of thanks to l.he lecturer wn,s carried by acclamation.

The Ashburton County Pipe Band was in attendance, and rendered a number of selections. The following items were also contributed:—" Draw the Sword, Scotland," Mr E.G. Craiehoad ;'" Bluebells of Scotland 1;" Mr U. S. Gardner; "The. March of the Cameron Mpii." H«v. W. C. Blair; "Sound the Pibroch," Mr P. McG. Murray, "Pibroch of Donuil Dhu," Mr E. G. Craighead; "Blue Bonnets Over the Border,"* Rev .W. C. Blair.