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Officer's dirk to the 78th Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs). Fullered doubled etched blade with false double edge at the point. One one side of the blade incorporating florals, the Royal crown, cipher VR, a shield-shaped cartouche with monogram CR, armorial crest in the form of a stag, and motto Dum Spero Spero with nitial 'C R' could be from Clan MacLennan), and makers name Henry/Wilkinson/Pall Mall/London. On the other side of the blade, florals, Queen's crown, regimental names Highlanders/78th/Rossshire Buffs, regimental motto Cuidich'n Righ (Help to the King) and battle honours: The Elephant, superscribed 'Assaye', Maida, Jave, Persia, Koosh-AB, Lucknow. Ebonised baluster grip carved with basket weave set with brass pins. Foliate chape caved at base of hilt with above feather bonnet and crossed swords on one side, a thistle on the other. Brass mounts chased with thistles.Pommel inset with a Cairngorm coloured stone.
 
The last battle honour of the 78th (Afghanistan. 1879-80) granted from the Second Anglo-Afghan War: This battle honour is not represented on this dirk and as such placing the same to the period 1858 - 1879.
 
Accompanied by 78th Highlanders sgian dubh, the pommel set with a cairngorm, a Saint Andrew device to the grip, the blade etching incorporating regimental device and royal cipher.

Ref 45. 78th Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs)

  • 1858 - 1879

  • Names of regiment through the year:

    • 1793 - 1794: The 78th Highland Regiment. Formed 1793 by Francis Humberston Mackenzie, chief of the clan Mackenzie and a descendent of the earls of Seaforth, following the outbreak of the French Revolutionary Wars (1793-1802). Unusually, it was a two-battalion unit from its inception.The 2nd Battalion was formed in 1804 ans its only foreign posting was to the Cape of Good Hope, where it helped capture Cape Town from the Dutch in 1795, before being merged into 1st Battalion the following year. The 1st Battalion fought in the Netherlands (1794) and at Quiberon in Brittany (1795). It arrived in India for the first time in 1797, where it served in the Second Maratha War (1803-06), seeing action at Ahmednuggar (1803), Assaye (1803) and Gawilghur (1803).
    • 1794 - 1881: Ross-shire Buffs
    • 1881 - 1961: The Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, The Duke of Albany's) upon amalgamation with the 72nd Regiment, Duke of Albany's Own Highlanders follwing the Childers Reforms. The old 78th became the 2nd Battalion. The old 72nd became the 1st Battalion.
    • 1961 - 1994: The Queen's Own Highlanders (Seaforth and Camerons) upon amalgamation with the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
    • 1994 - 2004: The Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons) upon amalgamation with the Gordon Highlanders
    • 2004 - Present: Royal Regiment of Scotland upon amalgamation with the Royal Scots Borderers, the Black Watch, the Royal Highland Fusiliers (Princess Margaret's Own Glasgow and Ayrshire Regiment) and the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders

    Battle honours:

    • Second Anglo-Maratha War: Assaye
    • Napoleonic Wars: Maida, Java
    • Anglo–Persian War: Persia, Koosh-Ab
    • Indian Rebellion of 1857: Lucknow
    • Second Anglo-Afghan War: Afghanistan. 1879-80
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