At Fort George, not far from the field where many of his name lie buried stood the english Tory leader, Cameron flanked by the new King of occupied Scotland, the liberal Danny Alexander. Oh how those of his name must have turned in their mass grave on Drumossie Moor seeing David Cameron at the gates to the bastion of Hanoverian occupation. What was the reason for choosing Fort George? A visit to newly returned troops from Afghanistan or a reminder to the rest of Scotland that Britannia rules the roost, the British flag flies from the gates of Fort George and in the words of David Cameron, “I will fight to protect this Union”.
A look at the 17th and 18th century maps of Scotland and you could be forgiven to think that you were on some frontier with similarities to the fought over North America of that era.. Military roads (still in existence), Fortifications (still in existence), Barracks (still in existence), Towns named after Fortifications, (still in existence, FOR HOW MUCH LONGER?).
Take a look at the military section on the NLS mapping website.
Type in Forts and search…
How many times do you read the words North British?
Lets list some of them…….there are loads..
Not many left from the 1650’s Cromwell english occupation and some of these were re-developed. But there are many reminders of fortifications, Cromwell Street in Stornoway, or Road in Inverness, The Cromwell fort in Perth was re-fortified by the Jacobites. The medieval castle and settlement at Inverlochy became An Gearasdan, the garrison begun by Cromwell and named Fort William after the Dutch King William, the settlement named Maryburgh after his wife following the Jacobite rising of 1689. Go into Morrisons supermaket near what’s left of An Gearasdan and you will find a tiled map of the fortification with the Jacobite gun positions of 1745 discretely kept out of the way. Fort Charlotte in the Shetland isles ironically was built to defend the North against the Dutch. The english were to keep troops stationed in Scotland long after the end of Cromwell’s Commonwealth. Servants of London’s monarchs. (nothings changed!)
The map of An Gearasdan on the inside wall of Morrisons Supermarket showing the Jacobite gun positions.
The later risings spawned more fortifications and a linking network of roads. Bernera Barracks near Glenelg. Its ruins still to be seen. Ruthven in Badenoch, Inversnaid near Loch Lomond in the heart of MacGregor country with only a segment of wall left as a reminder today. Killichymen or Cill Chuimein near the old medieval motte of Abertarff. To be named Fort Augustus after the prince, William Augustus known better as the Duke of Cumberland, The Butcher. There are apparently over 30 known fortifications from this period. More to be added following the last Jacobite rising with Cumberland building a fortification in Aberdeen in 1746. Then we come to one of the mightiest fortress built in Europe. Fort George. Situated at the entrance to the Moray Firth. During its construction after the last Jacobite rising it had to be guarded by a force of over 1000 men.
It remains today as a reminder to all of British occupation……..Step inside David Cameron and Danny Alexander…….
The 19th century saw the rise of the so called Radical’s. In 1820 stationed troops were used to suppress those in Scotland who had the return of Scotland’s Parliament as one of their aims. By the 20th century english troops are once again deployed in Scotland following the Battle of George Square in 1919, english guns were deployed from the windows of Glasgow’s North British Hotel (now the Millennium) among many other places and Scottish soldiers confined to barracks in the fear that they would join the rising.
The irony of the 1919 rising is that Britain had the last Liberal PM in David Lloyd George (yes George!!!) his Liberal Government were in coalition with the Conservatives (surprised?). The rising in Scotland was quelled in George (yes George!) Square and today in 21st century Scotland, David Cameron appears at the gates of Fort… yes George…
Maybe this is an omen for what is to come…Could there be revolution in the air and the Scottish Socialist legacy of MacLean, Shinwell and Gallacher will finally throw of the stigma that is the North British Labour Party by becoming truly Scottish and honour the spirit of these Red Clydesiders…??
Time will tell…. the End London Rule message continues to be seen. To the anonymous comment made recently on this blog on the merits of this End London Rule message.. A simple answer...Our ancestors spilled blood in this fight………to quote Jim Sillars in a recent interview, “My complaint against the leadership of the SNP is that they don’t understand that independence is a hard choice that can only be made by people who are hardened”
Correspondence received from our fellow Patriots in the USA;
Support from some well known faces
Telebhisean Naiseanta na h-Alba; Scottish Nationalist Television
Several years ago (10 or so) we did a boycott London, fly direct to Scotland with AA and Continental campaign. It is estimated, in round numbers, we had over 40,000 travelers going to a London gateway change their plans. Not many I grant you BUT....
1: Most Trans Atlantic flights arrive between 06:00 and 09:00 local time ( 23:00 to 02:00 New York time)
If no hotel is used and the passenger flies a connection right to Scotland they will each create a minimal contribution to London's economy of well over 100 pound.
Total minimum value = 40,000 X 100 pound = 4,000,000 pound
2: Most Trans Atlantic flights depart UK between noon and 15:00.
This means it is much more convenient to leave Scotland the day before departure and stay the night in London. The night in London is often a promotional point to sell tours.
Traveler arrives London 16:00 day before departure.
Hotel 150 pound, Taxi to and from airport and round city 100 pound. Late meal/dinner 25 pound, breakfast 10 pound, lunch with,a half pint 20 pound.
250 + 55 = 305 pound X 40,000 = 12,200,000 pound plus 4,000,000 = 16,200,000
Can this level of protest be repeated by Patriots all over the world who travel to Scotland?
And from another fellow Patriot….
On going to press we received some news of a cultural protest in Glasgow. Banners in Gaelic have been spotted throughout the city……More on this to follow next week….