AffiliationsMilitary affiliations

Our commitment

In 2025, the Company signed the Armed Forces Covenant. This formalised its commitment to treating serving personnel, veterans and the Armed Forces community with fairness and respect.

The Covenant describes a relationship already visible in Company life. Serving personnel and veterans take part in events, affiliated units welcome members on visits, and the Company recognises individual achievement through prizes and invitations.

Our current affiliations

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  The London Scottish Regiment and its Pipes and Drums

  Our own history of affiliations with the Armed Forces dates back some 61 years to 3rd March 1965 when we officially adopted The London Scottish Regiment as our first military affiliate. The decision by the Company to adopt the London Scottish Regiment was taken partly because of the Company’s desire to make connections with organisations with Scottish links in recognition that more and more Scottish distillers were becoming involved with the Company.

  The London Scottish Regiment has always been a volunteer (formerly Territorial and subsequently Reserve) unit and has seen action in many of the major conflicts in the last 100 years with battle honours from Messines in Belgium in 1914, where the Regiment was the first Reserve Unit to see action in WW1, the Allied invasion of Sicily in 1943 and more recently providing infantryman as part of Operation TELIC (Iraq) and Operation Herrick (Afghanistan). Two members of the Regiment were awarded the Victoria Cross in WWI and one in WWII.

  Reformed some years ago as a Company within The London Regiment, A (London Scottish) Company, proudly retained its own identity with the distinctive Hodden Grey uniform, and cap badge featuring the Lion Rampant with the motto STRIKE SURE.

  Following the Integrated Defence Review in May 2022, A (London Scottish) Company was redesignated as G (Messines) Company Scots Guards, 1st Bn London Guards.

  Today, the Worshipful Company of Distillers continues its affiliation with the London Scottish Regiment, which now consists of an Association, Trusts and the Band of the Pipes and Drums, several of whom are serving Army Reservists.

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  825 Naval Air Squadron

  Based at Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, 825 is part of the Wildcat Maritime Force and is responsible for training the next generation of pilots, observers and engineers for the Wildcat Helicopter Maritime Attack Mark 2. The Wildcat and its crew will operate from frigates, destroyers, and Royal Fleet Auxiliary platforms across anti-submarine warfare, Anti-Surface warfare and Humanitarian and Relief missions.

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  42 (Torpedo Bomber) Squadron, Royal Air Force

  Re-formed at RAF Lossiemouth, 42 Squadron trains future aircrew for the Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft and the Wedgetail airborne early-warning aircraft. The affiliation connects the Company with a squadron whose historic maritime role is now carried out with modern aircraft, specialist knowledge and international cooperation.

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  603 (City of Edinburgh) Squadron, Royal Auxiliary Air Force

  603 (City of Edinburgh) Squadron provides trained RAF Regiment Reserve personnel to support the defence and protection of RAF assets around the world. Its 19thC Headquarters in the centre of Edinburgh was built by the famous Sanderson Whisky bottling family and occupied by the Squadron on its formation in 1925, flying out of RAF Turnhouse, now Edinburgh International Airport. In WWII, flying Spitfires, the Squadron shot down the first enemy aircraft of the war over the Firth of Forth and later became one of the most successful Battle of Britain squadrons. Its affiliation with the Company combines that history with the Squadron’s present-day ground-based role.

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  HMS Campbeltown

  HMS Campbeltown will be the fifth of the Royal Navy’s new Type 31 Inspiration-class frigates. The Company was allocated the ship following the decommissioning of its former affiliate, HMS Montrose, in 2023. The relationship allows the Company to follow a ship from construction in Rosyth through commissioning and into active service, building links with its people at every stage.

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  The Household Cavalry

  From Waterloo to Afghanistan, the Household Cavalry has fought Britain’s campaigns since 1660. Its soldiers serve in both armoured reconnaissance at Bulford and mounted ceremonial roles in London, providing the King’s Life Guard and Sovereign’s Escort. The Distillers Quaich is awarded annually for Outstanding Soldiering.

The Military Affiliates Liaison Team

The Military Affiliates Liaison Team, known as MALT, coordinates the Company’s military relationships.

Each affiliation has a Livery liaison who acts as a consistent point of contact. The team brings those relationships together, plans activity, shares news and helps keep support relevant to the people and units involved.

A relationship in both directions

The Company supports its affiliates and also benefits from them. Visits and conversations offer members a direct understanding of service life, leadership, training and teamwork. In return, Company members can contribute professional experience, encouragement, hospitality and connections beyond the Armed Forces.

The relationships rest on contact between people, alongside ceremony.