Infanteers from 4 Scots offer Highland hospitality as they honour Rabbie in Romania

Soldiers from 4th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland (4 Scots) delayed celebrating Burns Night so they could honour their national bard during their deployment in Romania during Exercise Steadfast Dart.

In honouring Robert "Rabbie" burns, the infanteers of 4 Scots brought a taste of home to hundreds of officers and soldiers from across Nato.

The event in the cookhouse combined poetry, tradition and Highland hospitality, offering allied partners a real flavour of Scottish culture.

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"This was a great opportunity to host Nato allies, demonstrate Highland hospitality and for all to experience a great Scottish and battalion tradition while deployed in Romania," said Lieutenant Colonel Gordon Muir, the Commanding Officer of 4 Scots.

The haggis was piped in by Lance Corporal Jamie Killorn and Piper Lewis Dane, with VIPs including Brigadier Andy Watson, Commander 7th Light Mechanised Brigade Combat Team, and military representatives from Romania, France and Spain.

The Regimental Sergeant Major, WO1 George Allison, performed the traditional Address Tae the Haggis, while WO2 Eddie Buntine delivered The Immortal Memory.

"It was a real privilege to recite the trials and triumphs of Scotland's favourite son to our Nato allies and an honour to spread his work to those that may not have heard it before," said WO2 Buntine.

"Whilst there may have been a slight language barrier at times, the audience all seemed to enjoy and follow along to the poems and songs – proving Burns' work really is universal!"

Celebrating Robert Burns has long been a tradition in the British Army, particularly in the Warrant Officer and Sergeants' Mess, where newly promoted sergeants are often called on to recite the Bard's poetry.

This year, soldiers performed some of Burns' most famous works, including Tae A Louse, Tae a Mouse, and Scots Wha Hae, with passion, pride, and plenty of character.

Burn's Night is normally celebrated on 25 January and this year it marked the 265th anniversary of Robert Burns' birth.