Scots Greys

The Scots Greys were a British regiment from 1678 until 1971 when they amalgamated to form "The Royal Scots Dragoons Guards (Carabiniers and Greys) (http://www.army.mod.uk/armcorps/scots_dg/index.html)"

The Scots Greys' motto is "Nemo me impune lacessit; Second to none". The second part of the motto is not a translation of the Latin words, which mean "Nobody touches me with impunity" and refer to the thistle[?], historic symbol of Scotland.

The regiment has many battle honours from Blenheim in 1704 through to the Persian Gulf War of 1991. Their most famous engagement took place at Waterloo:

At about 1.30pm the second phase of the battle of Waterloo opened. Napoleon launched D'Erlon's corps against the allied centre left. After being stopped by Picton's Peninsular War veterans, D'Erlon's troops were attacked from the side by the heavy cavalry including Major General Sir William Ponsonby's Scots Greys.

The shocked ranks of the French columns surrendered in their thousands. During the charge Sergeant Ewart, of the Greys, captured the eagle of the French 45th Ligne. The Greys charged too far and, having spiked some of the French cannon, were counter-attack by enemy cavalry. Ponsonby, who had chosen to ride one of his less expensive mounts, was ridden down and killed by enemy lancers. The Scots Greys losses were: 102 killed, 97 wounded with the loss of 228 horses, from the 416 who started the charge.

"Ces terribles chevaux gris! Comme il travaillent!" (Those terrible grey horses, how they strive) Napoleon

The charge of the Scots Greys in the picture "Scotland Forever!" by Lady Butler in Leeds City Art Gallery is the most famous graphic representation of the event and was the inspiration for the slow motion shots of the charge in the film "Waterloo" directed by Sergei Bondarchuk in 1970.

External links

• The British Army's web page on The Royal Scots Dragoons Guards (Carabiniers and Greys) (http://www.army.mod.uk/armcorps/scots_dg/index.html)
• Official site of the Royal Scots Dragoons Guards (http://www.scotsdg.com)
• www.regiments.org The Royal Scots Greys (http://www.regiments.org/milhist/uk/cav/D02rsg.htm)
• www.scotsatwar.org.uk The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (http://www.scotsatwar.org.uk/army/regiments/dragoons.html)
• Scottish Military Historical Society: The Royal Scots Greys Lineage page (http://www.btinternet.com/%7Ejames.mckay/rsg.htm)
• Early history of the Scots Greys, Excerpt from the Navy and Army Illustrated Jan 15th 1897 by G F Bacon (http://www.regimental-art.com/history_greys.htm)
• What ever happend to Sergeant Charles Ewart (http://www.napoleonic-alliance.com/articles/scotsgreys.htm)
• The Battle of Waterloo as seen by an ordinary British cavalryman (http://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/d/529/)