| Summary: | Military historians have frequently noted the 'regimental system' as a central theme and defining feature of the British army, and the Scottish Highland regiments are often particularly noted for their distinctiveness even within the British army. The Highland regiments have featured prominently in a disproportionate number of regimental histories, and seem to have taken on a life of their own in their own minds as well as in the mind of the public. Despite this, issues surrounding the manner in which these regiments developed their individual identities and the interaction between individual self-concepts, military requirements and values, and civilian perceptions remains largely unasked. The original research on which this thesis rests includes detailed examinations of records from a wide variety of sources. Records of service for 1,331 soldiers serving in the British army on 1 July 1881 were examined to develop an understanding of their military experiences. In addition, regimental and military archives were examined for primary documents, poetry, works of art, and silver to examine how regimental characteristics may have been communicated. From this evidence, it becomes clear that theoretical frameworks that have been developed and applied to organisational identity, primarily private sector, can provide a framework to understand issues of group identity in a military context. This thesis finds that there are extensive interconnections between individuals, regiments, and the broader society. The unique set of experiences within each regiment creates its distinctive identity which is then imprinted on members. External sources provide the general context and situation for their shared experiences but internal resources within the regiments interpret the experiences into a blueprint for identity and can, in turn, influence the external sources' own understandings and perspectives.
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