CO:

Colonel Sir Duncan MacDhai

Unit Status:

House Guard / Retainer unit to His Grace, Duke of Stirling, Free Worlds League

Unit History:

3018

1st Stirling Highlanders formed to defend the predominantly Scottish populations of Stirling, McAffe, Campbelton, and Stewart from Lyran insurgency.

3022

1st SH loses 30% fighting strength repulsing Lyran raid on McAffe.

3026

2nd Stirling Highlanders created as a training/support unit to the 1st SH, Colonel Duncan MacDhai commanding.

3035

Colonel Sir Ian MacDonald, commander of the 1st SH, publicly stripped of title and command by the FWLM for unauthorized material support for the Skye sepratist movement, but privately receives his title and lands back from the Duke of Stirling. Command is not reissued. Command of 1st SH transferred to Brevet Colonel Angus MacGregor.

3035-3047

Twelve years of minor skirmishes and raiding, as the 1st and 2nd SH build their forces and training, and prepare to enter the ranks of the FWLM.

3047

His Grace, Duke James MacLeod, dies without heir. A fierce struggle over inheritance of the title ensues, with the Duke's paternal cousin, Ewen MacLeod claiming right of inheritance, as per League convention, while the Duke's nephew on his mother's side, Colin MacPhearson claims right of inheritance, as per the Scottish tradition of tracing lineage through the female. The 1st Highlanders side with MacLeod, while the 2nd Highlanders side with MacPhearson. A bloody campaign takes place across the surface, skies and space of Stirling for the next year and a half. Eventually, both sides opt for a grand final battle, and meet in a valley south of the Ducal Estate. After almost 12 hours of intense fighting, by BattleMech, VTOL, aero, tank and infantry forces, the 2nd Highlanders emerge victorious, losing roughly 60% of their force, while the 1st Highlanders are obliterated almost to the last man, taking about 95% casualties. Duke Colin dissolves the 1st Highlanders, giving what remained of its assets to the 2nd Highlanders. Colonel MacDhai withdraws the Highlanders' application for FWLM status, citing "excessive battle losses" as the cause. (The entire Stirling campaign was kept out of ComStar reports by both sides by bribery and coercion, to avoid League intervention in what was mutually considered to be a "home" affair.)

Contact:

Roy W. Pine