Not so famous Scots...

While on my February break, I have been reading an excellent book on the history of the British Army. As my students will know I am interested in history and I am fascinated by the British Empire - not in terms of its actual span and influence, but in the way it seemed that many of the people in the Victorian age in particular seemed to live incredible lives.



For example, a boy born in Glasgow could join the Army or Navy and end up in India, South Africa and many points in between. Travel broadens the mind, and I wonder just what kind of lives these people had?



Naturally they did have to put up with disease and on occasion famine, and the soldiers saw sights that would have either hardened them or broke them, or possibly a delayed mixture of both.



Now we are all aware of the superb reputation of Scots in the British Army who were among the bravest men and women on the planet. What I was not aware of was in particular 3 famous Scots who should really be far more well known:



Sir Ralph Abercromby - A veteran of the Seven Years War, and the Napoleonic Wars. He planned and led the amphibious invasion of Abukir (still one of our military's finest achievements) and in the same campaign he became a fallen hero of the Battle of Alexandria (1801).


Sir John Moore - a legendary General of the Peninsular Wars and the fallen hero of the Battle of Corunna (1809). Corunna is famous as a precursor to Dunkirk, in that the Army escaped almost intact when it could have been destroyed. Moore was also an MP (1784-90) for Lanark Burghs. To truly appreciate his legendary status, Sir John Moore has a statue in George Square! He also has a House named after him at the High School of Glasgow.



Sir Colin Campbell - a hero of Crimea and the Indian Mutiny (1857). He was the son of a Glasgow carpenter (or joiner as we would call him!) and was a well respected General. He is perhaps not as well known or remembered as the men mentioned above, but this is perhaps because he did not die in battle.

Here is another question with which to think and reflect. Why is it that such a small country as Scotland has produced a dis-proportionate amount of soldiers for the Armed Forces? Is it to do with poverty? Our education? Or is it a cultural thing?

I am not sure, but as a student of history (be it economic or military - though often they are intertwinned) we must remember that war is unedifying.

However, as I mentioned earlier, I am fascinated by the lives people of those eras lived. We travel for fun and pleasure, but often only spend a week or two at the most in far flung exotic locales. The men and women of the 1700s and 1800s spent their lives on different continents and far from home.