Black Watch parades in Aberfeldy and Perth

Dec 4 2009 by Alison Anderson, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

THE Homecoming of The Black Watch from their latest tour of duty in Afghanistan will bring out the crowds to the streets of Aberfeldy and Perth next week with special parades to honour the heroes.

Pipes and drums will play during the parades and the 400 soldiers taking part will be in Regimental colours. They will also be accompanied by the regiment’s pony.

The parade in Aberfeldy – the birthplace of The Black Watch – is on Thursday, starting from Dewar’s World of Whisky at 10am. The Battalion will march via Dunkeld Street, Bank Street and Taybridge Road to the Black Watch Memorial. The salute will be taken in the town square.

Perth celebrates the return home of The Black Watch, Third Battalion the Royal Regiment of Scotland, next Saturday afternoon, the parade leaving Rose Terrace at 2pm.

The parade will make its way to the High Street, via Atholl Street and Kinnoull Street, with the salute taken outside the Council Buildings at 2 High Street. It will then proceed via Tay Street to the 51st Highland Division Memorial.

The parade will then be followed by a civic reception in the foyer at Perth Concert Hall, at which Provost John Hulbert will present a special pipe banner to the battalion. The banner ties onto the Pipe Major’s bagpipes and displays the crests of Perth and Kinross and The Black Watch crest on opposite sides.

The battalion is undertaking a series of parades around its traditional recruiting area in Perthshire, Fife, Angus and Dundee to thank local communities for their support during its latest tour of duty in Afghanistan between March and October.

Provost Hulbert said: “I hope many people will come out in Aberfeldy and Perth next week to show their pride in and support for The Black Watch.”