The Garb of Old Gaul (sometimes given as "Auld Gaul") is an 18th-century patriotic Scottish march and song about Highland soldiers during the Seven Years' War.
The Garb of Old Gaul (sometimes given as "Auld Gaul") is an 18th-century patriotic Scottish march and song about Highland soldiers during the Seven Years' War.
The music was written by General John Reid, who was a senior officer of the 42nd Regiment of Foot (The Black Watch) during the Seven Years' War. The words have traditionally been attributed to Sir Harry Erskine (1710 -1765). Robert Burns described it as "This excellent loyal Scottish song" and states that it first appeared in print in Herd's Collection of 1769. Alternative titles include The Highland Character and The Highland or 42nd Regiment's March. [1] The tune was originally a quick march but was later rearranged as a slow march. [2]
The lyrics of the song are about the martial prowess of Highland soldiers and the perceived British tradition of freedom and fighting against the despotic French. [3] The phrase "Garb of Old Gaul" refers to the traditional Highland dress, ancient Gaul being thought of at the time as the heartland of the Celtic peoples. [4]
The first stanza runs:
The tune is used by a number of Scottish military units as their regimental march. These include:
The Garb of Old Gaul is used as part of the salute when the Lord Mayor of London boards a Royal Navy ship within the riparian limits of the City of London. [5]
It was also the former slow march of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, until being replaced by "Lili Marlene".
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The British Army is listed according to an order of precedence for the purposes of parading. This is the order in which the various corps of the army parade, from right to left, with the unit at the extreme right being highest. Under ordinary circumstances, the Household Cavalry parades at the extreme right of the line. Militia and Army Reserve units take precedence after Regular units with the exception of The Honourable Artillery Company and The Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers.
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The Royal Regiment of Scotland is the senior and only Scottish line infantry regiment of the British Army Infantry. It consists of three regular and two reserve battalions, plus an incremental company, each formerly an individual regiment. However, three regular battalions maintain their former regimental pipes and drums to carry on the traditions of their antecedent regiments.
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The following is a list of the notable Regimental Marches for military regiments of the British Army. In addition, all regiments have additional pieces for slow marches, marches for mounted parades and pipe marches.
During the First World War the British Armed Forces was enlarged to many times its peacetime strength. This was done mainly by adding new battalions to existing regiments. Although sometimes identified by shoulder titles, generally the new battalions could not be identified from appearance. Consequently, the units in this list have been assembled considering only those as having a uniquely different cap badge.