Although The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) disbanded in 1968, there is still great interest in research into the Regiment and also family connections. We are pleased to provide information and support to keep the memory of the Regiment alive.

While we do not hold service records relating to individuals who served in the Regiment, we do hold some resources that may be of interest to family history researchers. Due to the volume of family history enquiries we receive each year, we cannot reply individually to every enquiry, and as a first stop in your research we advise you to:

Please note that our research resources are not housed at Low Parks Museum and access to them is strictly by appointment only. Please give at least four weeks’ notice since we may have to retrieve resources from storage.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q. Can you send me a copy of my relative’s service record?

A. We do not hold service records or records of individual soldiers. Service records of soldiers whose service ended before 1921 are held at the National Archives: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/. There are a number of subscription websites, such as http://www.ancestry.co.uk/ and http://www.findmypast.co.uk/, where certain types of service and pension records are available online

For service records of soldiers whose service ended after 1921, you must apply to the Army Personnel Centre (APC) in Glasgow. Please see our downloadable research guide for more info.

Q. My relative wasn’t from Scotland so why did he serve in a Scottish regiment?

A. Throughout its history, the Regiment accepted recruits from throughout the United Kingdom. The chance to travel away from their home town and to train in Scotland was an attractive opportunity for many men. During wartime, particularly when conscription was introduced, soldiers were posted to regiments as they were required, often with no consideration to territorial links.

Q. What information do I need to research my relative’s service?

A. If you know which battalion a soldier served in, and their dates/years of service, then the Regimental Histories provide a good overview of where each battalion served and the campaigns they took part in. If a soldiers service was during the First or Second World War, then the relevant battalion war diaries (and in some cases Battalion Histories) often provide more detailed information. Please see our downloadable research guide for more info on where to find information and also the resources we hold.

Q. Do you have a photograph of my relative?

A. While we have a large number of regimental photographs in the collection, most of these contain unnamed individuals. The majority of named photographs depict officers. We do not have portrait-style photographs of soldiers who enlisted.

Local newspapers can be a good resource for finding photographs of men who served and were killed or wounded during the First and Second World Wars.

To make a research appointment, please visit our Enquiry page.