Projects

Project Team: The Gordon Highlanders Museum, Aberdeen

Project Title: Post War: A North East Perspective

Through "Post War Conflicts and Peace Keeping Missions", The Gordon Highlanders Museum will, between September 2008 and October 2009, explore this period through the eyes of Gordon Soldiers, their families, the wider community, and where possible, immigrants of the countries who lived in Scotland at the time of the conflicts. Oral histories will be based around where the Gordon Highlanders served after World War II, such as Kenya, Palestine, and Zanzibar.

Exhibitions in this Project:

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NATO

NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) is an intergovernmental military alliance, formed by western countries in April 1949 in response to the perceived threat from the Soviet Union and its communist allies in Eastern Europe. This exhibition explores the changing face of the world’s most important military organisation and the part that The Gordon Highlanders and their modern descendents, The Highlanders, 4th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, have played in it through photographs and documents of the time. Veteran George Symon describes what it was like to be in The Gordon Highlanders during his time with the Regiment in Germany between 1945 and 1949. view project

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National Service

Between 1945 and 1963, around 2.5 million men served in the British Armed Forces as National Servicemen, with an astonishing 6000 being ‘called up’ every two weeks. This exhibition explores how National Service affected The Gordon Highlanders and whether there were differences between these men and regular soldiers who volunteered to serve with the Regiment. This is illustrated using photographs and documents of the time, and personal accounts from veterans Bill Mackenzie, Abby Macdonald, Bert Innes, Jim Billingham and Mike Taylor. view project

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Terrorism - Malaya

Between 1951 and 1954, 1st Battalion The Gordon Highlanders fought a gruelling but successful war against Communist terrorists in the jungles of Malaya, a region of what is now Malaysia. This exhibition provides background information about the Battalion’s tour of Malaya, exploring the operations through photographs and documents of the time, and with veteran Abby McDonald remembering what it was like to serve there.view project

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Terrorism - Cyprus

Only a year and a half after fighting Communist terrorists in Malaya, 1st Battalion The Gordon Highlanders were called upon to take the offensive against a new terrorist threat in a different part of the world, this time on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. This exhibition explores the Battalion’s time in Cyprus between 1955 and 1956 through photographs and documents from the time, with veteran Bill McKenzie remembering what it was like to serve there. view project

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End of Empire – Kenya and Zanzibar

Between 1961 and 1964, 1st Battalion the Gordon Highlanders were witness to the end of the British Empire in East Africa. This exhibition provides background information about the battalion’s involvement in Kenya and Zanzibar, with veterans Bert Innes and Mike Taylor remembering what it was like to serve in Africa during this tumultuous period. The storyboards also explore Gordon Highlanders operations through photographs and documents of the time. view project

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End of Empire – Swaziland

Between 1961 and 1964, 1st Battalion The Gordon Highlanders witnessed the end of the British Empire in East Africa. Their time in Kenya and Zanzibar passed relatively peacefully, but one dangerous operation in southern Africa was to test the Battalion to its limits. This exhibition provides background information about The Gordon Highlanders involvement in Swaziland, with veterans Bert Innes and Mike Taylor remembering what it was like to serve there. The exhibition will also explore the operation through photographs and documents of the time. view project

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Terrorism - Borneo

Eleven years after fighting Communist terrorists in Malaya, 1st Battalion The Gordon Highlanders was ordered back to the jungles of South East Asia. This exhibition provides background information about the Battalion’s time in Borneo between 1965 and 1966, exploring their operations through photographs and documents of the time, and with veteran Bert Innes remembering what it was like to serve there. view project

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Peacekeeping: United Nations Operations - Cyprus and Bosnia

From the very inception of the United Nations (UN) at the end of the Second World War in 1945, the organisation has been fundamental in conflict resolution and international diplomacy around the world. Peacekeeping is one the organisation’s key priorities. This vignette explores The Gordon Highlanders part in this story through photographs and documents of the time, from their deployment to Cyprus in 1971 through to Bosnia in 1993. Veteran Sergeant Emmerson describes what it was like to serve in Bosnia. view project

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Terrorism – Northern Ireland

For thirty years, the British Army fought against a bitter terrorist campaign led by the Provisional Irish Republican Army, a nationalist group intent on removing British government from Northern Ireland. This exhibition provides background information about 1st Battalion The Gordon Highlanders tours of Northern Ireland between 1972 and 1990. The Battalion’s operations are explored through photographs and documents, and veteran Jim Billingham remembers what it was like to serve there. view project

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Music in The Gordon Highlanders

Music has always played a fundamentally important role in the British Army and Scottish Regiments in particular. The Gordon Highlanders is no exception. This exhibition explores the role of music in The Gordon Highlanders through photographs, documents and music, with veterans Abby MacDonald and George Symon remembering what life was like.view project