The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland (3 SCOTS) is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland.
Prior to 28 March 2006, the Black Watch was an infantry regiment. The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) from 1931 to 2006, and The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) from 1881 to 1931. Part of the Scottish Division, it was the senior regiment of Highlanders.
The source of the regiment's name is uncertain. In 1725, following the Jacobite rebellion of 1715, General George Wade was authorised by George II to form six 'watch' companies to patrol the Highlands of Scotland, three from Clan Campbell, one from Clan Fraser, one from Clan Munro and one from Clan Grant. These were to be "employed in disarming the Highlanders, preventing depredations, bringing criminals to justice, and hindering rebels and attainted persons from inhabiting that part of the kingdom." The force was known in Gaelic as Am Freiceadan Dubh 'the dark' or 'black watch'.
This epithet may have come from the uniform plaids of dark tartan with which the companies were provided. Other theories have been put forward, for instance that the name referred to the "black hearts" of the pro-government militia who had sided with the "enemies of true Highland spirit"] or that it came from their original duty in policing the Highlands, namely preventing 'blackmail' (Highlanders demanding extortion payments to spare cattle herds) However, these theories are without historical basis and do not stand up to scrutiny.
Glasgow Green, c.1758 (Black Watch
The Black Watch was formed as part of the Childers Reforms in 1881 when the 42nd (Royal Highland) Regiment of Foot (The Black Watch) was amalgamated with the 73rd (Perthshire) Regiment of Foot to form two battalions of the newly named the Black Watch (Royal Highlanders). The 42nd became the 1st Bn. 73rd the 2nd Bn.
The 1st Battalion then served in Africa taking part in the Highland Brigade's dawn assault on the Egyptian position at Tel-el-Kebir in 1882. Two years later it was in the thick of the fight with the Mahdi's tribesmen at El Teb and Tamai. The following year 1885, saw it taking part in the Nile Expedition and fighting at Kirbekan and Abu Klea
Battalions of the Black Watch fought in nearly every major British action in World War II, from Palestine to Normandy, and as Chindits (42 and 73 columns) in Burma. In 1940, the 1st Battalion, together with two Territorial Army battalions, were captured at St Valery-en-Caux with the 51st (Highland) Division. They were later reformed from reserve units of the 9th (Highland) Infantry Division, and fought at the Battle of El Alamein and the Allied invasion of Sicily. After the war, in 1948, the two regular battalions were merged into one.
英國打算解散包括陸軍最精銳的輕步兵單位之一—「黑衛士」（Black Watch）營在內的諸多部隊，以降低國防開銷。
包括「黑衛士」營、阿蓋爾與薩瑟蘭高地營，乃至於皇家高地燧發槍團，以及皇家蘇格蘭龍騎兵衛隊團（裝甲團）這些在英國陸軍史上享有赫赫威名的部隊，都在裁撤或合併之列。
這代表英國陸軍兵力將從現有的十萬兩千人，在十年內裁撤至八萬兩千名，這也是自十九世紀末波爾戰爭以來，英國陸軍兵力最低的紀錄。
暱稱「黑衛士」的皇家蘇格蘭高地營，原本是團級編制，後來被縮編為英國皇家蘇格蘭步兵團的第三營，是英國諸多蘇格蘭部隊的其中一支，其以黑色絨帽、紅色帽緣與黑色蘇格蘭裙為特有標誌。
「黑衛士」這支部隊最早能追溯到一六六七年查理二世時代，並且參與多次戰役，單單近百年來就曾參與一次大戰、二次大戰（二戰時這支部隊的三個營被分散使用，打遍歐陸與東南亞）、韓戰，平定肯亞動亂與馬來危機，也是最後一支離開香港的英軍。進入二十一世紀，「黑衛士」曾帶領英軍打進伊拉克大城巴斯拉，又在二○○九年轉戰阿富汗，戰功彪炳。
