I am reliably informed that our man Jamie Fraser, of Outlander fame, will become a full-fledged Frontier Partisan once he establishes himself in the backcountry of North Carolina in the 1760s.
This fictional paragon of the Highlander ethos has yet further connections to the great Frontier Partisan heritage, albeit ones that come after his time.
The Chief of Clan Fraser is known as Lord Lovat. Simon Fraser, Jamie’s grandfather and the 11th Lord Lovat, was a historical figure, and a rather notorious one at that. He was a feuding son-of-a-gun and he played all sides at all times, in pursuit of his own self-interest. He ended up betting on the wrong horse in the Jacobite Uprising of 1745, was convicted of treason and beheaded in 1747, mourned by no one at all.
A later, and far more honorable Simon Fraser, the 14th Lord Lovat, raised a company of Scottish Imperial Yeomanry to fight in the Second Anglo-Boer War in 1899. The Lovat Scouts brought to bear their Highland stalking abilities, field craft and especially their observation skills with their powerful deer-stalking spyglasses in the battle against the Boers. They worked in South Africa in part under the leadership of no less a Frontier Partisan than Frederick Russell Burnham, who described the Lovat Scouts as “half wolf, half jackrabbit.”
The Lovat Scouts have their own fiddle tune…
Half wolf, half jackrabbit.
Simon Fraser, 14th Lord Lovat and founder of the Lovat Scouts.
During the First World War, the Lovat Scouts, Sharpshooters, served as battlefield scouts and observers, and trained snipers in the critical art of spotting scope observation in the British Army sniper school created by Maj. Hesketh Vernon Hesketh-Prichard.
“The Lovats never let one down,” Maj. Hesketh-Prichard wrote in his classic “Sniping in France. “If they reported a thing, the thing was as they reported it.”
Many of the Lovats were gamekeepers, known as ghillies. The Lovat Scouts introduced the ghillie suit to the art of sniping.
First World War Lovat Scouts in their ghillie suits.
The ghillie suit remains a key camouflage tool for snipers.
Simon Fraser, the 15th Lord Lovat became a legendary Commando officer during World War II. He led his men onto Sword Beach at Normandy on D-Day, with piper Bill Millin providing the appropriate, if “ridiculous” skirl. Fantastic tribute below. Not ashamed to admit that it got a bit dusty in the Great Hall watching that…
Fraser sometimes went into battle armed with a Winchester Model 70 .30-06 sporting rifle (which may be slung over his shoulder in the pic below) and, so it is said, sometimes with a lever action .45-70. Gotta love that. At Sword Beach, he sensibly carried an M-1 Carbine.
The 15th Lord Lovat was a badass Commando who looked like Errol Flynn. Peter Lawford portrayed him (armed with a Mannlicher-Schoenauer) in “The Longest Day.
Hell of a pedigree, that Jamie Fraser, wouldn’t ye say?
Matthew says
He was a feuding son-of-a-gun and he played all sides at all times, in pursuit of his own self-interest. He ended up betting on the wrong horse in the Jacobite Uprising of 1745, was convicted of treason and beheaded in 1747, mourned by no one at all.—–
That seems to happen with people who play against all sides, a lot.
john roberts says
In describing Simon Fraser of WWII fame, Churchill paraphrased Byron’s description of a villainous pirate: “The mildest-mannered man that ever scuttled a ship or cut a throat.” It is said that Hitler personally ordered that Lord Lovat was to be shot immediately upon capture. If true, it was probably the highest honor ever awarded an Allied soldier.
JimC says
Wonderful stuff.
Damn straight!
Matthew says
This has nothing to do with the article, but it does have to do with borders and special operations and is just to damn weird not to post.
https://fightersweep.com/7401/bulgarian-isis-bounty-hunter-buys-attack-helicopter-help-find-potential-jihadis/
JimC says
Weird for sure.
Black Tyrone says
Bill Millin, Ridiculous skirl? Krieg est Krieg.
Black Tyrone says
Never estimate the power of the pipes on a Scot! A piper was paid a penny more than a private soldier in the 18th c. The British army, though officers footed the bill. The Govt still was cautious about the pipes. The Scots got back into favor finally with the Widow maker in the mid 19th century But despite making up more than or about 40% of the Crimean war army the Irish were not to be trusted. Quite a complement as I see it. The 42nd and 43rd were never considered a true Highland Regiment wearing a government tartan only {mostly Campbells and their lot} by the likes of the Gordons and Seaforths and Camerons. The HLI were also suspect along with the lowland non kilted regiments.
Black Tyrone says
Highland regiments and pipes? Your on my turf now.
JimC says
Interesting stuff. Camerons shot Breaker Morant.
Matthew says
I know. I do have to wonder how effective he really is at hunting ISIS. I doubt he’s a Bulgarian Simon Kenton defending the borders. I don’t think he has any training. Of course, neither did Kenton.
JimC says
Hah! I got a kick out of that…
john roberts says
Showboating in a boxer’s bathrobe doesn’t look reassuring. Gotta admit, that’s one badass-looking chopper, though. I’m filing this under “sounds too good to be true” until further confirmation comes in.
Black Tyrone says
Gotta be his wrestling warm up robe . Might say the “Battling Bulgar” across the back shoulders.
Black Tyrone says
Jim, yes Camerons were on duty at trial of the “Breaker”. Soldiers follow orders. Piper MacKay of the Camerons, stepped out of the square at Waterloo when the line was waivering he played his pipes before the Frogs charged home. The Square held. A famous painting of this hangs above my wood stove. Best Black Tyrone.
JimC says
Black Tyrone says
Jim There you go! 79th Cogadh no Sith {War or Peace}
Black Tyrone says
General Colin Campbell during the Mutiny knew a piper for his Scots was worth a hundred extra men.
Breaker Morant says
My youngest, 7th grade at the time, wore a ghillie suit to school for some dress up day or other. It didn’t work out well as the other kids kept grabbing it and pulling pieces off. He left quite a trail.
George MacDonald Fraser in his Private McAuslan stories has a fun one (The Gordon Women) that takes place in the highlands after the war when the 3 soldiers under his command end up playing highland reiver on a visit to his aunt’s estate.
I stole a line from it for when I drop the kids off at school early for contests and so forth. “I hope you kill a lot of Germans.”
Lane Batot says
So, this TV series is headed for frontier N. C.? Now I REALLY AM interested! Prices on used ones are coming down(or shood ah say DOON?). Being a backwoods Carolina hermit myself(with some Scotch ancestry, no less!), I’ll bet I”ll like this series(eventually). I AM now caught up with the rest of the planet/universe with “Game Of Thrones”, and almost with “Vikings”…….So far I’ve been able to mostly trust “Frontier Partisans At The Cinema” recommendations…..
JimC says
Think you’ll dig it.