Category: General News

SERVICE OF THANKSGIVINGSERVICE OF THANKSGIVING

This evening the Battalion President, Marc Thomson, attended a service of Thanksgiving for Her Majesty the Queen at St. Ninian’s and Forglen Parish Church, Turriff. He was accompanied by Jim Muirhead MBE, Honorary Battalion President, and the Queen’s Badge Advisor.

The evening was organised by the Presbytery of Buchan and it was a wonderful service of thanksgiving and song to mark the Queen’s historic 70 year reign and her deep faith. It was also great to meet with our colleagues from Banffshire Battalion.

PLATINUM JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS – LIGHTHOUSEPLATINUM JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS – LIGHTHOUSE

Between 2nd-4th June senior members of the 1st Rosehearty, 1st Fraserburgh and 4th/5th Fraserburgh Companies will man the historic Kinnaird Head Lighthouse to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee!

The former lighthouse tower will be lit between 8pm-midnight, but will be more visible after about 10pm.

If you see the light (it has a range of about 25 miles) remember it’s the BB thats keeping it going over those three nights!

Part of the Museum of Scottish Lighthouses‘ Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

Walk the Line – 11th JuneWalk the Line – 11th June

The Juniors and Company/Seniors Section are invited to “Walk the Line” on Saturday 11th June to raise funds for the Battalion Mini-bus!

The Fraserburgh, Rosehearty and Sandhaven Companies will walk from Lonmay to Strichen, whilst the Strichen, New Pitsligo and New Deer companies will walk from Maud to Strichen. Other companies should get in touch to see how they can take part!

The Juniors and Company/Seniors will then join the Anchors at Strichen Community Park for 1pm to take part in a fun day!

We hope to see as many of you there as possible. Captains are asked to submit approx numbers to the Secretary in the very near future!

PLATINUM JUBILEE – Fun DayPLATINUM JUBILEE – Fun Day

The Buchan Battalion will celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee on Saturday 11th June!

Boys and Girls will be invited to take part in a sponsored walk across part of the old railway converging at Strichen for a fun day of potted sports at 1pm!

We will be joined by special guest The Hon. Mrs Kate Nicolson, Deputy Lieutenant of Aberdeenshire.

We hope to see as many of you there as possible! Information and sponsor forms have been distributed to Company Captains.

VAULT – LAUNCH 30TH APRIL 2022VAULT – LAUNCH 30TH APRIL 2022


The Buchan Battalion Vault will be launching on the 30th April 2022!
Over the past year, we have sorted through over 2000 photos,videos and documents which are nearly ready for you to view.


We are excited for you to see it.The link will be https://vault.buchanbb.org.uk/


If anyone has any media they would like to submit, or anyquestions, please email vault@buchanbb.org.uk


We will let you know how to access the vault once it is live!

NEW VICE-PRESIDENT – CAPT. STEVIE WILSONNEW VICE-PRESIDENT – CAPT. STEVIE WILSON

At our recent AGM Stevie Wilson, Captain of the 1st Strichen Company, was elected to become the new Vice-President of the Buchan Battalion.

Stevie is one of the most senior Captains in the Battalion having led his Company for over 20 years. His time in the BB goes back much further though as he grew up in the BB in Peterhead. Last session he marked his 30th year as an officer in the Brigade showing his long-term dedication to the organisation.

At Battalion level he has served in a number of positions. For many years he has served as Duke of Edinburgh Advisor to the Buchan Battalion, a permanent co-opted position on the Battalion Executive specifically for him. In this role Stevie and his team, particularly Kevin Mutch, has opened up opportunities of Duke of Edinburgh work for BB members across Buchan. His own company is known for its embrace of expedition and outdoor work and through his initiative and co-ordination this is now on offer to many more companies. He has also been Parade Commander of the Battalion since 2016 and very proudly led his first parade through his home village that year.

The President and Executive congratulate Stevie on his elevation to the post of Vice-President and wish him well in his continued service to the Battalion.

LT SHEILA WATT RETIRES – 47 YEARS SERVICELT SHEILA WATT RETIRES – 47 YEARS SERVICE

This evening Lt Sheila Watt, Officer-in-Charge of the 1st Fraserburgh Anchor Boys, retired in her 47th Year in post. Sheila was the first and, until tonight, only OIC of the section which she formed in 1976 with other BB wives under the slogan “if you can’t beat them, join them”! Hundreds of upon hundreds of Fraserburgh’s young (to middle aged) men have passed through her section and many into the wider BB as officers.

As fate would have it our new Battalion President, Lt Marc Thomson, made his first public appearance in his new role to witness Sheila’s final night in charge of her section. The President was one of Sheila’s loons 1994-97, an association which he will always be proud of. The President handed Mrs Watt a private letter to mark the occasion. He was accompanied by Queen’s Badge Advisor and former Battalion President Michael Strachan, one of Mrs Watt’s old boys 1992-95, who was very keen to remind everyone he was Best Boy of 1995!

Duncan Leel Snr, Captain of the 1st Fraserburgh and another former President of the Battalion, paid touching tribute to Sheila’s many years of dedicated service to the Anchor Boys and the wider Company. It was his privilege, he said, to count her among his friends and to have the benefit of her experience over a 20 year friendship. Mr Leel presented Mrs Watt with a beautiful wristwatch with an engraving on behalf of the Company to mark her many years of dedicated service. Mrs Watt will be succeeded in post by her daughter, Tracy.

The Battalion President wishes to add his congratulations to Sheila on this outstanding achievement and to thank her for all that she has contributed to the Boys’ Brigade in Buchan.

Photograph (l-r): Capt. Michael Strachan (Best Boy, 1995), Lt. Sheila Watt OIC (1st Fraserburgh Anchors Boys), Capt. Duncan Leel Snr (Captain, 1st Fraserburgh), Lt Marc Thomson (President, Buchan Battalion).

NEW PRESIDENT OF BUCHAN – LT MARC THOMSONNEW PRESIDENT OF BUCHAN – LT MARC THOMSON

This evening Lt Marc Thomson was appointed President of the Buchan Battalion.


Lt Thomson is a ‘lifer’ in the organisation, having joined Mrs Watt’s Anchor Boys in the 1st Fraserburgh at the age of five back in 1994. He has remained with the Company for the duration, being awarded his Queen’s Badge in 2007 and joining the Company Section staff as an officer. A keen bandsman in the award-winning 1st Fraserburgh Band he was taught the snare drum by his great-uncle, the late Alastair Sinclair, a former President of this Battalion. At Battalion level he has previously held a number of positions starting back in c.2008 when he led the Buchan Battalion Senior Boys’ group to great success. Since 2017 he has served as Vice-President of the Battalion and in conjunction with that post has served as Chair of the Battalion’s Company Section Committee.

The Buchan Executive and Council congratulate Marc on his new appointment as our President and we look forward to working under his leadership as we continue our recovery from the pandemic.