Pte John Reid

Private John Reid of C Company had always considered himself an ordinary man. Born to a modest family in the Scottish Highlands, he grew up with the rugged landscape as his playground and the tales of ancient clans as his bedtime stories. By the time he was of age, the call of duty led him to enlist in the British Army, where he found himself assigned to C Company of the Black Watch Regiment—a proud unit with a storied history.

In 1924, the world was slowly recovering from the aftermath of the Great War. The British Empire, though stretched and weary, maintained a presence in far-flung corners of the globe, and it was in one such place that Reid found himself stationed: Cairo, Egypt. The bustling, exotic city, with its labyrinthine streets, ancient monuments, and the constant hum of life, was a world away from the misty glens of his homeland. Yet, Reid took to it with a quiet curiosity, observing the stark contrasts between the ancient and the modern, the East and the West.

Reid was a man of few words, but his fellow soldiers in C Company quickly grew to respect him for his steadfastness and reliability. He wasn’t the loudest or the most charismatic, but when it came to getting things done, Reid was the one they turned to. He had a way of making the best of any situation, whether it was a gruelling march under the blistering sun or the monotony of guard duty at night. His Highlander stoicism was his armour, keeping him focused on the task at hand and grounded in the midst of uncertainty.

Cairo in 1924 was a melting pot of cultures, teeming with traders, soldiers, and adventurers from every corner of the globe. The British soldiers stationed there were tasked with maintaining order in a city that often seemed on the brink of chaos. Tensions simmered beneath the surface as nationalist movements began to gain momentum, and the soldiers had to be ever vigilant.

Despite the underlying tension, there were moments of respite. Reid often spent his free time exploring the city’s bustling bazaars, where he marvelled at the array of spices, textiles, and trinkets on display. He had a particular fondness for the stories told by the local shopkeepers, their tales of ancient pharaohs and buried treasures sparking his imagination. Though he kept mostly to himself, Reid had a deep appreciation for the history and mystery that seemed to hang in the very air of Cairo.

One evening, after a long day of drills and inspections, Reid found himself sitting for a portrait at a small photography studio near the barracks. The photographer, an elderly Armenian man, insisted on capturing the essence of the soldier in his traditional Highland uniform—a uniform that seemed almost out of place in the sands of Egypt, yet somehow fitting for a man like Reid. The resulting photograph captured Reid as he was: seated with quiet dignity, his gaze steady and resolute, the tilt of his Tam o’ Shanter hat adding a touch of Scottish flair to the scene.

Reid’s time in Cairo was marked by both routine and the occasional brush with danger. He and his comrades in C Company were often called upon to quell disturbances in the city, their presence a reminder of the Empire’s reach. Yet, for all the duties and drills, Reid’s mind often wandered to the distant mountains of home. He longed for the cool air of the Highlands, the sound of the rivers, and the warmth of his family’s hearth. But he also knew that his service was a part of something larger—a duty to his regiment, his country, and the bonds he had forged with his fellow soldiers.

As the months passed, Reid’s quiet strength and dependability became more than just qualities admired by his peers; they became the backbone of C Company’s operations. Whether on patrol in the narrow streets of Cairo or standing guard at a remote outpost, Reid could be counted on to keep his head and look out for his comrades.

It was during one of these routine patrols that Reid’s mettle was truly tested. A group of insurgents had been spotted in a secluded part of the city, and C Company was sent to investigate. The situation quickly escalated into a skirmish, with gunfire echoing through the streets. In the chaos, Reid found himself separated from the main group, caught in a narrow alley with two of his fellow soldiers. Despite the odds, Reid’s calm leadership helped them navigate the perilous situation, and they eventually regrouped with the rest of the company.

The incident was a testament to Reid’s character—unwavering in the face of danger, guided by a sense of duty and loyalty to his comrades. It wasn’t the first time he had faced such a trial, and it wouldn’t be the last, but it solidified his reputation as a soldier who could be relied upon in the darkest of times.

As 1924 drew to a close, Reid received word that his unit would soon be reassigned. He would leave Cairo, taking with him the memories of a city both beautiful and complex, a place where he had grown as a soldier and as a man. The photograph taken in that small studio would serve as a reminder of his time there—a snapshot of a Highlander far from home, yet carrying the spirit of the Highlands with him wherever he went.