Scotia Reservists take their place at spectacular Tattoo

With the Royal Navy the lead service, the reservists from HMS Caledonia – based just a proverbial stone’s throw away from the Scottish capital in Rosyth – were invited to play their part in the three-week event.

It’s the first time since 2017 that the Royal Navy has been the lead service for the tattoo – which pulls in upwards of a quarter of a million people during its run.

From the drill and discipline of the combined Royal Navy and Royal Marines honour guard, to the ever-impressive musicianship of the combined Royal Marine Bands the Tattoo gave the Royal Navy the chance to shine.

Scotians welcomed the audience and supported the arrival of each night’s salute taker.

Every evening members of HMS Scotia’s ship’s company chatted with audience members ahead of the performance, providing a visible naval presence on the castle esplanade, interacting with visitors from across the UK and globe, explaining their role as reservists, and of course posing for many a photo.

With the audience seated and awaiting the start of the performance, the Scotians then provided a saluting party and door openers to welcome the Salute Taker – the guest of honour each evening: senior UK international military figures, politicians and other VIPs.

Sub-Lieutenant James Hodson oversaw Scotia’s contribution to the tattoo, taking part on every evening.

“Meeting and working with colleagues from across the UK armed forces and further afield was a great experience for all involved. It was brilliant to see such a diverse range of audiences and to hear many of the stories they had from their experiences with the armed forces both here in the UK and from across the world.”

AB Sinclair also represented Scotia: “I thoroughly enjoyed the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, it was a real highlight of this year. The chance to represent the RNR to members of the public, foreign militaries, and VIPs, not to mention the incredible music, was definitely worth braving the Edinburgh weather!”