View source for King's Own Scottish Borderers

{{Distinguish|King's Own Royal Border Regiment}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name                     = King's Own Scottish Borderers
| image                         = KOSB 001 crop.jpg
| image_size                    = 
| caption                       = Cap badge
| dates                         = 1689 – 1 August 2006
| country                       = 
| allegiance                    = {{flag|Kingdom of Scotland}} (1689–1707)<br>{{flag|Kingdom of Great Britain}} (1707–1800)<br>{{flag|United Kingdom}} (1801–2006)
| branch                        = {{army|United Kingdom}}
| type                          = [[Line Infantry]]
| command_structure             = [[Scottish Division]]
| role                          = 
| size                          = One battalion
| current_commander             = 
| garrison                      = [[Berwick Barracks]], [[Berwick-upon-Tweed]]
| ceremonial_chief              = [[Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester| Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, GCB, CI, GCVO, GBE]]<ref name="CeremonialChief">{{Cite news |date=11 November 2020|title=King's Own Scottish Borderers parade in Edinburgh (1939) |url= https://m.youtube.com/watch?si=JlD18Elm7XQCbEla&v=_OWTK0QHcLQ|access-date=17 September 2024 |via=[[British Pathé]] on [[YouTube]] |work=[[Gaumont-British|Gaumont British News]]}}</ref>
| ceremonial_chief_label        = Last Colonel-in-Chief
| colonel_of_the_regiment       = 
| nickname                      = 
| motto                         = ''In Veritate Religionis Confido'' (I put my trust in the truth of religion) <br> ''Nisi Dominus Frustra'' (Without the Lord, everything is in vain)
| colors                        = 
| identification_symbol_2       = Leslie (trews)<br>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070228164138/http://www.regiments.org/tradition/tartans/stuartro.htm Royal Stewart (pipers kilts and plaids)]
| identification_symbol_2_label = Tartan
| identification_symbol_label   = Tactical Recognition Flash
| march                         = 
| mascot                        = 
| battles                       = 
| notable_commanders            = [[John Cooper (British Army officer)|John Cooper]] ([[Operation Banner]], 1993–97)
| anniversaries                 = [[Battle of Minden|Minden]] – 1 August
}}
The '''King's Own Scottish Borderers''' ('''KOSBs''') was a [[line infantry]] [[regiment]] of the [[British Army]], part of the [[Scottish Division]]. On 28 March 2006 the regiment was amalgamated with the [[Royal Scots]], the [[Royal Highland Fusiliers|Royal Highland Fusiliers (Princess Margaret's Own Glasgow and Ayrshire Regiment)]], the [[Black Watch|Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment)]], the [[Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons)]], the [[Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders|Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's)]], [[52nd Lowland Regiment]], and [[51st Highland Regiment]] to form the [[Royal Regiment of Scotland]]. However, after just a few months the battalion merged with the Royal Scots Battalion to form the [[Royal Scots Borderers]].

==History==
===Early history===
[[File:3rdEarlOfLeven.jpg|thumb|left|[[David Leslie, 3rd Earl of Leven|David Melville, 3rd Earl of Leven]], founder of the regiment]]
[[File:King's Own Scottish Borderers plaque, Edinburgh Castle Esplanade.jpg|thumb|left|Plaque commemorating the raising of Leven's regiment on Edinburgh Castle Esplanade]]

The regiment was raised on 18 March 1689 by [[David Leslie, 3rd Earl of Leven]] to defend Edinburgh against the [[Jacobitism|Jacobite]] forces of [[James II of England|James VII]]. It's claimed that 800 men were recruited within the space of two hours. The regiment's first action was at the [[Battle of Killiecrankie]] on 27 July 1689. Although this battle was a defeat for the [[Williamite]] army, the Jacobite commander, [[John Graham, 1st Viscount Dundee]] ([[Bonnie Dundee]]), was killed by a volley fired by Leven's Regiment, bringing an end to James II's attempt to save his throne in Scotland. The regiment was judged to have performed well and was granted the privilege of recruiting by beat of drum in the City of [[Edinburgh]] without prior permission of the provost.<ref name="19th_century">{{cite web | url=http://kosb.webs.com/19thcentury.htm | title=1689 – 19th Century | publisher=The King's Own Scottish Borderers Association and Museum | access-date=16 October 2013 | author=The King's Own Scottish Borderers Association | archive-date=16 October 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131016125525/http://kosb.webs.com/19thcentury.htm | url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[File:Soldier of 25th regiment 1742.jpg|thumb|Soldier of 25th regiment, 1742]]
For a period it was known as '''Semphill's Regiment of Foot''', the name under which it fought at the [[Battle of Fontenoy]] in 1745 and the [[Battle of Culloden]] in 1746. When the British infantry were allocated numerical positions in the 'line' of Infantry the regiment was numbered '''25th Regiment of Foot''' (based on its formation date) in 1751. The regiment fought at the [[Battle of Minden]] on 1 August 1759 with five other regiments; this battle honour was celebrated by the regiment each year on 1 August. The 25th was the county regiment of [[Sussex]] in 1782 when it became known as the '''25th (Sussex) Regiment of Foot'''.<ref name="19th_century"/>

The regiment was awarded the right to bear the emblem of the Sphinx for their role in the [[Battle of Alexandria (1801)|Battle of Alexandria]] in 1801. Its recruiting area was moved to the [[Scottish Borders]] region in 1805 from when the regiment became known as the '''25th (the King's Own Borderers) Regiment of Foot'''.<ref name=regiments/>

===Victorian era===
The regiment was not fundamentally affected by the [[Cardwell Reforms]] of the 1870s, which gave it a depot at [[Imphal Barracks|Fulford Barracks]] in [[York]] from 1873, or by the [[Childers reforms]] of 1881 – as it already possessed two battalions, there was no need for it to amalgamate with another regiment.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/depot/1873.htm |title=Training Depots 1873–1881 |publisher=Regiments.org |access-date=16 October 2016 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://archive.today/20060210172841/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/depot/1873.htm |archive-date=10 February 2006 }} The depot was the 6th Brigade Depot from 1873 to 1881, and the 25th Regimental District depot thereafter</ref> The regiment moved to [[Berwick Barracks]] in July 1881. Under the reforms the regiment became '''The King's Own Borderers''' on 1 July 1881.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=24992|pages=3300–3301|date=1 July 1881}}</ref> A 3rd, [[Militia (United Kingdom)|Militia]], Battalion was formed as the '''Scottish Borderers Militia''', with headquarters at [[Dumfries]]. The regiment became '''The King's Own Scottish Borderers''' in 1887.<ref name=regiments/>

During the [[Second Anglo-Afghan War]] in 1878 to 1880, the regiment formed part of the 2nd division which was renamed the ''Khyber Line Force'' while guarding the lines of communication between [[Kabul]] and [[Peshawar]].<ref name="Concise_history">{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YkBaMvQ-k9AC&pg=PT25 | title=The King's Own Scottish Borderers: A Concise History | publisher=Random House | author=Royle, Trevor | year=2011 | isbn=9781780572505|via=Google Booka}}</ref>

The [[Second Boer War]] started in South Africa in October 1899, and the British government soon realised they needed larger forces to win the war. The 1st Battalion KOSB embarked for South Africa in early January 1900, and stayed there throughout the war, which ended in June 1902. 300 officers and men of the battalion returned home on the SS ''Lake Manitoba'' in February 1903.<ref>{{Cite news |title=TROOPS RETURNING FROM SOUTH AFRICA |department= NAVEL&MILITARYINTELLIGENCE|date=4 February 1903 |newspaper=The Times|page=4 |issue=36995|url= https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-troops-returning-from-south-af/179714950/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]| access-date=26 August 2025}}</ref> The 3rd (Militia) battalion was embodied in January 1900 for service in the Second Boer War, and 998 officers and men embarked for [[South Africa]] on the SS ''Kildon Castle'' two months later.<ref>{{Cite news|title=EMBARCATION OF TROOPS |department=THE WAR|date=10 March 1900 |newspaper= The Times  |page=12|url= https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-embarcation-of-troops/179715308/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=26 August 2025}}</ref> Most of the battalion returned home in June 1902.<ref>{{Cite news|title= TROOPS RETURNING HOME|department=THE WAR|date=4 June 1902 |newspaper=The Times|page=13|url= https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-troops-returning-home/179715554/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=26 August 2025}}</ref>

In 1908, the Volunteers and Militia were reorganised nationally, with the former becoming the [[Territorial Force]] and the latter the [[Special Reserve (militia)|Special Reserve]];<ref>{{cite web|url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1908/mar/31/territorial-and-reserve-forces-act-1907|title=Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907|work=[[Hansard|Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)]]|date=31 March 1908|access-date=20 June 2017|archive-date=12 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170812022930/http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1908/mar/31/territorial-and-reserve-forces-act-1907|url-status=live}}</ref> the regiment now had one Reserve and two Territorial battalions.<ref>These were the 3rd Battalion (Special Reserve), with the 4th (Border) Battalion at [[Paton Street drill hall, Galashiels|Paton Street]] in [[Galashiels]] and the 5th (Dumfries & Galloway) Battalion at [[Loreburn Hall]] in [[Dumfries]] (both Territorial Force)</ref><ref name=regiments/>

The [[Bachelor's Walk massacre]] happened in [[Dublin]], on 26 July 1914, when a column of troops of the King's Own Scottish Borderers were accosted by a crowd on [[Bachelors Walk, Dublin|Bachelor's Walk]]. The troops attacked "hostile but unarmed" protesters with rifle fire and bayonets - resulting in the deaths of four civilians and injuries to in excess of 30 more.<ref>{{cite news|url = http://www.rte.ie/centuryireland/index.php/articles/three-people-shot-dead-by-british-soldiers-on-bachelors-walk | via= RTE.ie | newspaper = Century Ireland | title = Three people shot dead by British soldiers on Bachelors Walk - More than 30 others injured as 21 soldiers shoot into crowd| access-date = 18 December 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url = http://www.rte.ie/centuryireland/index.php/articles/no-memorial-for-bachelors-walk-victims | via = RTE.ie | newspaper = Century Ireland | title = No memorial for Bachelor's Walk victims | access-date = 18 December 2017 }}</ref>

===First World War===
The 1st Battalion was serving in [[Lucknow]], India when the war broke out. After returning to England it landed at [[Cape Helles]] in [[Gallipoli]] as part of the [[87th Brigade (United Kingdom)|87th Brigade]] in the [[29th Division (United Kingdom)|29th Division]] in April 1915. After being evacuated from Gallipoli in January 1916 it moved to [[Alexandria]] in Egypt and then landed at [[Marseille]] in March 1916 for service on the [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]].<ref name=trail>{{cite web|url=http://www.1914-1918.net/kosb.htm|title=King's Own Scottish Borderers|publisher=The Long, Long Trail|access-date=7 May 2016}}</ref> It saw action at the [[Battle of the Somme]] in autumn 1916, the [[Battle of Passchendaele]] in autumn 1917, the [[Battle of the Lys (1918)|Battle of Lys]] in April 1918 and the [[Battle of Cambrai (1918)|Battle of Cambrai]] in October 1918.<ref name="20th_century">{{cite web | url=http://kosb.webs.com/20thcentury.htm | title=20th and 21st Centuries | publisher=The King's Own Scottish Borderers Association and Museum | access-date=16 October 2013 | author=The King's Own Scottish Borderers Association | archive-date=20 September 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130920193558/http://kosb.webs.com/20thcentury.htm | url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[File:The German Spring Offensive, March-july 1918 Q6820.jpg|thumb|right|Headquarters and Headquarters staff of the 2nd Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers, near Arrewage, 4 July 1918.]]

During the [[Home Rule Crisis]] in 1914, the 2nd Battalion was stationed in Dublin as part of [[13th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|13th Brigade]] in the [[5th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|5th Division]].<ref name=trail/> 
A detachment of the battalion was responsible for killing four and wounding 38 unarmed civilians during [[Bachelor's Walk massacre|an altercation with a crowd]] on the day of the [[Howth gun-running]] in July 1914.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theirishstory.com/2014/07/26/today-in-irish-history-july-26th-1914-the-howth-gun-running/|title=Today in Irish History – July 26th 1914 – The Howth Gun Running|work=The Irish Story|access-date=1 November 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Image: Digital Library@Villanova University |url=http://www.rte.ie/centuryireland/index.php/articles/three-people-shot-dead-by-british-soldiers-on-bachelors-walk |title=Three people shot dead by British soldiers on Bachelors Walk &#124; Century Ireland |publisher=Rte.ie |access-date=2017-10-31}}</ref>
It then landed at [[Le Havre]] in August 1914 for service on the Western Front<ref name=trail/> and saw action at the [[Battle of Mons]] in August 1914, the [[Battle of Le Cateau]] also in August 1914 and the [[First Battle of the Aisne]] in September 1914.<ref name="20th_century"/> It later saw combat at the [[Second Battle of Ypres]] in May 1915, the Battle of the Somme in November 1916, the [[Battle of Vimy Ridge]] in April 1917, the Battle of Passchendaele in November 1917 and the Battle of Lys in April 1918.<ref name="20th_century"/>

The regiment's two Territorial Force units, the 1/4th (Border) Battalion and the 1/5th (Dumfries & Galloway) Battalion, landed in Gallipoli as part of the [[155th (South Scottish) Brigade|155th Brigade]] in the [[52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division|52nd (Lowland) Division]] in June 1915. After being evacuated from Gallipoli in January 1916 they moved to Egypt and then took part in the [[Third Battle of Gaza]] in November 1917<ref name="20th_century"/> before landing at Marseille in April 1918 for service on the Western Front.<ref name=trail/>

[[File:The Official Visits To the Western Front, 1914-1918 Q9202.jpg|thumb|left|Troops of the 6th Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers marching past [[George V|King George V]] near La Brearde, 6 August 1918.]]

The 6th (Service) Battalion landed at [[Boulogne-sur-Mer]] as part of the [[28th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|28th Brigade]] in the [[9th (Scottish) Division]] in May 1915 for service on the Western Front.<ref name=trail/> It saw action at the [[Battle of Loos]] in September 1915, the Battle of the Somme in November 1916, the [[Battle of Arras (1917)|Battle of Arras]] in May 1917 and the Battle of Passchendaele in November 1917.<ref name="20th_century"/>

The 7th (Service) Battalion and the 8th (Service) Battalion landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the [[46th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|46th Brigade]] in the [[15th (Scottish) Infantry Division|15th (Scottish) Division]] in July 1915 for service on the Western Front.<ref name=trail/> They fought at the Battle of Loos in September 1915, the Battle of the Somme in November 1916, the Battle of Arras in May 1917, the [[Battle of Pilckem Ridge]] in August 1917, the [[Second Battle of the Somme (1918)|Second Battle of the Somme]] in August 1918 and at the [[Second Battle of the Marne]] also in August 1918.<ref name="20th_century"/>

===Second World War===
[[File:The British Army in the Normandy Campaign 1944 B6683.jpg|thumb|right|Men of the 1st Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers, some of the first troops to enter the French city of [[Caen]] after [[Operation Charnwood|Operation 'Charnwood']], 9 July 1944.]]

In the period [[Interwar period|between the wars]], the regiment's regular battalions were sent all over the [[British Empire]] to Ireland, Egypt and Hong Kong but were quickly recalled home at the outbreak of the [[World War II|Second World War]] in September 1939.<ref name="20th_century"/>

The 1st Battalion landed in France as part of the [[9th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|9th Brigade]] in the [[3rd Division (United Kingdom)|3rd Infantry Division]] in September 1939 for service with the [[British Expeditionary Force (World War II)|British Expeditionary Force]] (BEF); it took part in the [[Dunkirk evacuation]] in June 1940 and the [[Normandy landings]] in June 1944 and saw action at the [[Battle for Caen]] later that month.<ref name="20th_century"/>

The 2nd Battalion moved to [[Burma]] as part of the [[89th Indian Infantry Brigade|89th Brigade]] in the [[7th Indian Infantry Division]] in September 1943 for service in the [[Burma Campaign]] and saw action at the [[Battle of the Admin Box]] in February 1944 and the [[Battle of Imphal]] in July 1944.<ref name="20th_century"/>

The 4th and 5th Battalions landed at [[Saint-Malo]] as part of the [[155th (South Scottish) Brigade|155th Brigade]] in the [[52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division|52nd (Lowland) Division]] in June 1940 for service with the British Expeditionary Force; after evacuation from [[Cherbourg-Octeville|Cherbourg]] later in the month they took part in [[Operation Infatuate]] in November 1944 and the subsequent capture of [[Bremen]] in April 1945.<ref name="20th_century"/>

[[File:The British Army in North-west Europe 1944-45 BU2437.jpg|thumb|left|[[Universal Carrier]]s and infantrymen of the 6th Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers move forward after crossing the [[Rhine]], 25 March 1945.]]

The 6th Battalion took part in the Normandy landings as part of the [[44th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|44th Brigade]] in the [[15th (Scottish) Infantry Division|15th (Scottish) Division]] in June 1944 and saw action at the Battle for Caen later that month and then advanced into Germany.<ref name="20th_century"/>

One of its heaviest losses during the war was at the ill-fated [[Battle of Arnhem]] in which the 7th Battalion, as part of the [[1st Airlanding Brigade (United Kingdom)|1st Airlanding Brigade]] of [[1st Airborne Division (United Kingdom)|1st Airborne Division]], suffered 90% casualties in September 1944;<ref>{{cite book|title=Arnhem 1944|first=Martin|last= Middlebrook|year=2009| publisher=Pen & Sword|isbn=978-1848840751|page=456}}</ref> they defended the perimeter in [[Oosterbeek]] against [[II SS Panzer Corps|2nd SS Panzer Corps]].<ref name="20th_century"/>

===Post war===
After the Second World War, the regiment served internal security duties in the [[Mandatory Palestine|British Mandate of Palestine]] and was reduced to a single battalion around 1948. The regiment was part of the [[United Nations]] forces that saw action at the [[First Battle of Maryang San]] in October 1951 during the [[Korean War]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.britains-smallwars.com/korea/KOSB2.htm|title=King's Own Scottish Borderers in Korea|publisher=Britain's small wars|access-date=25 May 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140809211825/http://britains-smallwars.com//korea/KOSB2.htm|archive-date=9 August 2014}}</ref> Private [[Bill Speakman]] was awarded the [[Victoria Cross]] for his actions during the [[Second Battle of Maryang-san]].<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=39418 |supp=y|page=6731|date=25 December 1951}}</ref> The regiment was deployed during the [[Malayan Emergency]] in the late 1950s.<ref name=baukosb>{{cite web|url=http://british-army-units1945on.co.uk/infantry/king-s-own-scottish-borderers.html|title=King's Own Scottish Borderers|publisher=British Army Units 1945 on|access-date=16 April 2021}}</ref>

The regiment was deployed to [[Aden]] as the garrison battalion in Aden on internal security duties in February 1962.<ref name=baukosb/> In April 1964, within three months of its return to the UK and during the 24 hours of its first day as the Spearhead Battalion of the UK Strategic Reserve, it was deployed back to Aden in response to the [[Radfan Campaign]] in what had become the [[Federation of South Arabia]]. Within a year of its return to the UK in May 1965, the regiment was again deployed overseas in response to [[Indonesia]]'s aggression in [[Borneo]] against newly formed [[Malaysia]].<ref name=baukosb/> The regiment was at first deployed in Hong Kong, replacing a Gurkha battalion sent to Borneo, then to the Jungle Warfare School at [[Kota Tinggi]] in Malaysia in August 1965.<ref name=baukosb/>

The regiment were then deployed in the mountainous and primary jungle areas of Sarawak in October 1965.<ref name=baukosb/> Shortly after its return to the UK the regiment was posted to [[Osnabrück]] in June 1967.<ref name=baukosb/> It was subsequently regularly posted to [[Northern Ireland]] as part of [[Operation Banner]] during [[the Troubles]] and suffered casualties during the 1989 [[Attack on Derryard checkpoint|Derryard attack]] which killed two of its men.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/aberdeen/calculating-professional-enemy-that-faces-kosb-1.598672 |title=Calculating, professional enemy that faces KOSB|first= Ian |last=Bruce|newspaper=[[The Herald (Glasgow)|Herald Scotland]]|date= 15 December 1989|access-date=7 May 2016}}</ref> It took part in the [[Gulf War]] in 1991 but was one of the few Scottish regiments not deployed to the [[Yugoslav Wars]]: it was being mainly stationed in Northern Ireland instead.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200304/cmhansrd/vo031204/text/31204w05.htm | date = 4 December 2003 |title= Northern Ireland}}</ref> The regiment also served in [[Iraq]] on [[Operation Telic]] in 2003.<ref name="20th_century"/>

===Restructuring of the infantry===
Until 2004 the regiment was one of five in the line infantry never to have been amalgamated, the others being [[Royal Scots|The Royal Scots]], [[The Green Howards]], [[Cheshire Regiment|The Cheshire Regiment]] and [[Royal Welch Fusiliers|The Royal Welch Fusiliers]]. When five Scottish regiments were amalgamated to form the [[Royal Regiment of Scotland]] on 28 March 2006, the [[Royal Scots]] Battalion and the King's Own Scottish Borderers Battalion initially maintained their identities as separate battalions.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://british-army-units1945on.co.uk/infantry/royal-regiment-of-scotland.html|title=Royal Regiment of Scotland|publisher=British Army units 1945 on|access-date=25 May 2014}}</ref>

However almost immediately the [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]] moved to amalgamate the two battalions. This was not a new idea: the origins of the combined entity, [[Royal Scots Borderers]], dates from the 1990 ''[[Options for Change]]'' review, when it was initially announced that the Royal Scots and King's Own Scottish Borderers would amalgamate. That amalgamation was subsequently rescinded.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YkBaMvQ-k9AC&pg=PT48 |title=The King's Own Scottish Borderers: A Concise History|first=Trevor|last=Royal|year=2011|publisher=Random House |isbn=9781780572505}}</ref> The Royal Scots Battalion and King's Own Scottish Borderers Battalion duly amalgamated on 1 August 2006 – upon their amalgamation, the new battalion took the name Royal Scots Borderers, 1st Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland.<ref>{{cite news |date=10 October 2004 |title=Why the Royal Scots can no longer hold the line |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/personal-view/3611845/Why-the-Royal-Scots-can-no-longer-hold-the-line.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=26 April 2014 |newspaper=The Telegraph}}</ref>

==King's Own Scottish Borderers Regimental Museum==
The King's Own Scottish Borderers [[Regimental museum|Regimental Museum]] is located in [[Berwick Barracks]], [[Berwick-upon-Tweed]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kosb.co.uk/museum.htm|title=Regimental Museum|publisher=King's Own Scottish Borderers Association|access-date=25 May 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140628015309/http://www.kosb.co.uk/museum.htm|archive-date=28 June 2014}}</ref>

==Honours==
The battle honours are:<ref name=regiments>{{cite web|url=http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/inf/025KOSB.htm |title=The King's Own Scottish Borderers |publisher=regiments.org |access-date=4 August 2016 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://archive.today/20080118040208/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/inf/025KOSB.htm |archive-date=18 January 2008 }}</ref>
*[[Nine Years' War|Namur]] (1695); [[Battle of Minden|Minden]] (1759); [[Battle of Alkmaar (1799)|Egmont-op-Zee]] (1799); [[Battle of Abukir (1801)|Egypt]] (1801); [[Invasion of Martinique (1809)|Martinique]] (1809); [[Second Anglo-Afghan War|Afghanistan]] (1878–80); [[Chitral Expedition|Chitral]] (1895); [[Tirah Campaign|Tirah]] (1897–98); [[Battle of Paardeberg|Paardeberg]], [[Second Boer War]] (1899–1902).
*[[World War I]]: [[Battle of Mons|Mons]], [[First Battle of the Aisne|Aisne 1914]], [[First Battle of Ypres|Ypres 1914]], [[Second Battle of Ypres|Ypres 1915]], [[Third Battle of Ypres|Ypres 1917]], [[Battle of the Lys (1918)|Ypres 1918]], [[Battle of Loos|Loos]], [[Battle of the Somme|Somme 1916]], [[Second Battle of the Somme|Somme 1918]], [[Battle of Arras (1917)|Arras 1917]], [[Battle of Soissons (1918)|Soissonnais-Ourcq]], [[Hindenburg Line]], [[Gallipoli Campaign|Gallipoli]], [[First Battle of Gaza|Gaza]].
*[[World War II]]: [[Battle of Dunkirk|Dunkirk]], [[Sword Beach]], [[Operation Epsom|Odon]], [[Battle for Caen|Caen]], [[Battle of Arnhem|Arnhem]], [[Operation Infatuate#Landing at Flushing (operation Infatuate I)|Flushing]], [[Operation Plunder|Rhine]], Bremen, [[Burma Campaign]] ([[Battle of the Admin Box|Ngakyedauk Pass]], [[Battle of Imphal|Imphal]], [[Battle of Pokoku and Irrawaddy River operations|Irrawaddy]]).
*[[First Battle of Maryang San|Kowang-San]] (1951–52); [[Gulf War]] (1991).

Civic honours are:
*Freedom of the town of [[Dumfries]] (1953).<ref>{{Cite news |date=13 April 2014|title= Dumfries - Freedom Of Town For Kosb (1953)|url= https://m.youtube.com/watch?si=u07FmPYW9vpUZqjb&v=KEe_L_vwQK4&feature=youtu.be |access-date=9 April 2024 |via=[[YouTube]] |work=[[Pathé News|Associated British-Pathé/RKO-Pathé]]}}</ref>

==Colonel-in-Chief==
The colonel-in-chief was:
*1937: Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, CI, GCVO, GBE<ref name="CeremonialChief"/>

==Colonels of the Regiment==
Colonels of the Regiment were:<ref name=regiments/>

[[Image:John Baptist de Medina (1659-1710) - David Melville (1660–1728), 3rd Earl of Leven, Statesman and Soldier - PG 1528 - National Galleries of Scotland.jpg|right|thumb|202px|[[David Leslie, 3rd Earl of Leven]]]]

===Earl of Leven's, or Edinburgh, Regiment of Foot===
*1688–1694: Lt-Gen. [[David Melville, 3rd Earl of Leven]]
*1694–1711: Lt-Gen. James Maitland
*1711–1715: Brig-Gen. William Breton
*1715–1721: F.M. [[Richard Boyle, 2nd Viscount Shannon]]
*1721–1732: [[John Middleton (British Army officer)|Brig-Gen. John Middleton]]
*1732–1745: Gen. [[John Leslie, 10th Earl of Rothes]], KT
*1745–1746: Brig-Gen. [[Hugh Sempill, 12th Lord Sempill]]
*1746–1747: Lt-Gen. [[John Lindsay, 20th Earl of Crawford]] 
*1747–1752: Gen. [[William Maule, 1st Earl of Panmure]]

===25th (Edinburgh) Regiment of Foot - (1751)===

*1752–1761: Lt-Gen. [[William Home, 8th Earl of Home]]
*1761–1762: Lt-Gen. [[Sir Henry Erskine, 5th Baronet|Sir Henry Erskine, Bt]]

[[Image:George Lennox.jpg|right|thumb|222px|[[Lord George Lennox|General Lord George Lennox]]]]

===25th (the Sussex) Regiment of Foot - (1782)===
*1762–1805: Gen. Lord [[George Henry Lennox]]

===25th (the King's Own Borderers) Regiment of Foot - (1805)===

*1805–1831: Gen. [[Lord Charles FitzRoy (British Army officer)|Charles FitzRoy]]
*1831–1856: Gen. Sir [[Henry Frederick Campbell]], KCB, GCH 
*1856–1862: Lt-Gen. Sir [[Henry Somerset (British Army officer)|Henry Somerset]], KCB, KH
*1862–1882: Gen. [[Henry Dive Townshend]]

===York Regiment (King's Own Borderers) - (1881)===

*1882–1903: Gen. [[William Craig Emilius Napier]]

===King's Own Scottish Borderers - (1887)===
[[File:Lt gen john cooper hi.jpg|thumb|202px|right|[[John Cooper (British Army officer)|Lt-Gen. John Cooper]] Last Colonel of the Regiment]]
*1903–1905: Lt-Gen. [[Somerset M. Wiseman Clarke|Somerset Molyneux Wiseman-Clarke]], CB
*1905–1910: Gen. [[Frederick Forestier-Walker|Sir Frederick William Edward Forestier-Walker]], KCB, GCMG
*1910–1923: Lt-Gen. [[Charles Louis Woollcombe|Sir Charles Louis Woollcombe]], KCB, KCMG
*1923–1928: F.M. [[Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig|Sir Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig]], KT, GCB, OM, GCVO, KCIE
*1928–1938: Brig-Gen. [[Duncan Alwyn Macfarlane]], CB, DSO
*1938–1944: Maj-Gen. [[Edward Broadbent (British Army officer)|Sir Edward Nicholson Broadbent]], KBE, CB, CMG, DSO
*1944–1954: Maj-Gen. [[Eric Miles|Eric Grant Miles]], CB, DSO, MC
*1954–1961: Maj-Gen. [[James Scott-Elliot]], CB, CBE, DSO
*1961–1970: Lt-Gen. [[William Turner (British Army officer)|Sir William Francis Robert Turner]], KBE, CB, DSO, DL
*1970–1980: Brig. Francis Henderson Coutts, CBE
*1980–1985: Brig. Andrew Dewe Myrtle, CB, CBE
*1985–1990: Brig. Robert William Riddle, OBE
*1990–1995: Brig. Colin Grierson Mattingley, CBE
*1995–2001: Maj-Gen. [[Timothy Toyne Sewell]]
*2001–2006: Maj-Gen. [[John Cooper (British Army officer)|John Cooper]], DSO, MBE

==Football==
{{Main|King's Own Scottish Borderers F.C.}}
The 1st Battalion's [[association football|football]] team was a member of the [[Irish Football League]] for one season, 1903–04, while the battalion was stationed at the [[Victoria Barracks, Belfast]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesn/nilhist.html |title= Northern Ireland – Final League Tables 1890–1998 |publisher=Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation |date=21 November 2013 |access-date=12 May 2014}}</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
TalbotCokeCabCard2-383x600.jpg|[[John Talbot Coke]], second-in-command of the KOSB in the Sudan campaign, who went on to be a general officer in the Second Boer War
Bill Speakman VC.JPG|Sergeant [[Bill Speakman]], who was awarded the Victoria Cross in the Korean War.
KOSB 004 crop.jpg|Cap badge, King's Own Scottish Borderers
KOSB 001 crop.jpg|Cap badge, King's Own Scottish Borderers
King's Own Scottish Borderers Memorial, North Bridge Edinburgh.JPG|King's Own Scottish Borderers Memorial, North Bridge Edinburgh
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
*Royle, Trevor (2008). ''The King's Own Scottish Borderers: A Concise History''. [[Edinburgh]]: [[Mainstream Publishing]]. {{ISBN|978-1-84596-091-9}} ([https://books.google.com/books?id=YkBaMvQ-k9AC Link] on [[Google Books]])
*For operational details see [https://web.archive.org/web/20121003164329/http://www.mod.uk/NR/rdonlyres/ADADD5C6-9F34-4A94-AD03-5C915E25AD51/0/ww2_caen.pdf Second World War 60th Anniversary]

==External links==
{{Commons category|King's Own Scottish Borderers}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120216200808/http://www.kosb.us/ 6th Bn., King's Own Scottish Borderers Historical Reenactment Unit] (archived 16 February 2012)
* [http://sites.google.com/site/kingsownscottishborderers/ KOSB WWII historical reenactment unit]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140628015309/http://www.kosb.co.uk/museum.htm King's Own Scottish Borderers Regimental Museum] (archived 28 June 2014)

{{Royal Regiments of Scotland}}
{{Regiments of Foot}}
{{British infantry regiments World War I}}
{{Authority control}}

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