Berwick Today
KOSB bid farewell, but they go out fighting
FAREWELL parades are to be held throughout the Borders by the historic King's Own Scottish Borderers (KOSB) before the 317-year-old regiment is merged in August.
News of the final parades comes as pressure is stepped up on the government for the KOSB war heroes' right to wear a hard-won honour.
Thousands of veterans who risked their lives in a jungle war in Borneo were rewarded with medals last year by the Malaysian government, but they have been told by the government that they cannot wear the Pingat Jasa Malaysia which was awarded for service in the late fifties and early sixties. Government policy is that non-British medals for events dating back more than five years are not approved.
Now veterans of the Borneo campaign have set up a pressure group, Fight 4 the PJM, which met in Edinburgh at the weekend and agreed to step up pressure to allow the medal to be worn. They point out that other Commonwealth nations whose troops fought to secure Malaysia's borders, are being allowed to wear the PJM.
A campaign spokesman said: "The Queen has accepted the medal for wear by other Commonwealth veterans but she has been instructed by the honours and decorations committee to deny British citizens the right to wear the medal. That anomaly is clearly unjust and inappropriate."
Meanwhile arrangements are being made for final parades to mark the last days of the KOSB.
They will be the last for the regiment which will merge with The Royal Scots on August 1 to become the The First Battalion of The Royal Regiment of Scotland. The First Battalion will be providing a Guard, Colour party and their Pipe Band. It is hoped that representatives from both the Territorial Army and the Army Cadet Force will also be on parade. Retired Borderers are also invited to take part.
Parade dates and times are as follows:
Melrose - June 1 at 1100 hours. Start point: Bypass lay-by. Finish point: Gibson Park. Saluting dais: Entrance to Greenyards.
Hawick - June 1 at 1530 hours. Start point: Victoria Road car park. Finish point: O'Connell Street. Saluting dais: Town Hall.
Duns - June 2 at 1200hours. Start point: Duns Park. Finish point: RBLS building. Saluting dais: Mercat Cross.
Kelso - June 2 at 1800 hours. Start point: St Boswells Road/Kelso Bridge. Finish point: Town Hall. Saluting dais: Town Square.
Berwick-upon-Tweed - June 3 at 1200 hours. Start and finish point: The Barracks. Salute taken on the steps of the Guildhall.
The Pipes and Drums will Beat Retreat in the following towns: Selkirk, May 30, Galashiels, May 31, Jedburgh, June 16, Lauder, June 17 and Coldstream, June 19. All timings are 1800 hours.
The final parade will be held in Edinburgh on June 23 starting with a Drumhead Service at 1015 hours at the The Palace of Holyrood House. It will be a ticket only, but a large screen will be erected in the East Car Park. A parade will follow with the saluting dais at the Royal Scottish Academy. All Borderers can then take lunch at Redford Cavalry Barracks.
Tickets for these events can be obtained from the KOSB Home Headquarters, The Barracks, Berwick-upon-Tweed. For further details view the Website on
www.kosb.co.uk.
