National Library of Scotland

[17107BM]

Hello all.

If this has been posted previously, then my apologies. If not, on doing some digging about i came across a large collection of WW1 photo's held by the National Library of Scotland. If you follow the links to there digital WW1 archive you will see what i mean.

I'm sorry, for some reason, i can't seem to do the link. 'NLS Digital Archive-World War One'

[Ian Riley]

Thank you very much

Ian

[Frajohn]

Link to images

Here

John

[17107BM]

Link to images

Here

John

John.

Thanks for helping with the link.

[Robert Dunlop]

Fabulous set of photos. Especially for the British pursuit of the German withdrawal in 1917. Things like cyclists, use of German artillery, etc.

Robert

[Heid the Ba]

Great find!

[Ian Riley]

This is an excellent set of photos. I wonder how many other collections are lurking on the net waiting to be dragged into the light of day?

Is click this mounted officer click really wearing a kilt to ride his horse at the head of his company (although he may be the battalion commander)? He certainly seems to be and I would have thought that it must be a rather uncomfortable alternative to breeches. It is possibly the groom from the transport section (in TOS and trousers) who has brought the horse up (or who will ride it back) immediately behind the horse.

The caption says they are 'looking solemn', possibly because the divsional general (or Haig himself) is standing next to the photographer? I can't image that they have got themselves into such good order just for the camera.

It was worth downloading the plug in viewer although it did, at one stage, advise me that it was going to take 125356 hours to download (which was almost three time longer than the war lasted)

Ian

[truthergw]

The officer may well be wearing short pants under his kilt, especially if he knew that his groom was bringing up a horse. This would not be unique, certain members of the pipes and drums also dance, usually pipers for some reason, they wear short pants under their kilt.

[Ian Riley]

The officer may well be wearing short pants under his kilt, especially if he knew that his groom was bringing up a horse. This would not be unique, certain members of the pipes and drums also dance, usually pipers for some reason, they wear short pants under their kilt.

I have seen an order from a company commander of the Liverpool Scottish (1/10 KLR and kilted) in early 1915 for 'drawers' to be packed; I can't imagine that this was to furnish the trenches at St Eloi for the convenient storage of mugs and KFS.

Ian

[truthergw]

In the winter 14/15 when conditions in the trenches were extremely poor, certain company commanders turned a blind eye to the wearing of long johns under kilts. They were generally rolled up above the knee. I do not think this was ever officially sanctioned but I was assured that it happened. I was also assured that it was specifically forbidden by at least one C.O. who wore britches!

[4thGordons]

In the winter 14/15 when conditions in the trenches were extremely poor, certain company commanders turned a blind eye to the wearing of long johns under kilts. They were generally rolled up above the knee. I do not think this was ever officially sanctioned but I was assured that it happened. I was also assured that it was specifically forbidden by at least one C.O. who wore britches!

We have been round and round on this I think! SEE HERE - with links to other threads included in this one.However, the wearing of drawers under kilts and later (from early 1916 on) the issue of trousers (habitually referred to as trews) was indeed officially sanctioned during winter stays in the trenches. Joe Sweeney has posted copies of Canadian kilted units' orders relating to this (and the articles themselves) and there are several mentions of the practice in the 1/4th Gordons diary (changing back into kilts upon leaving the line) and a couple of other diaries I have examined

[Ian Riley]

OK! Sorry for starting this particular hare it but it was a originally a comment on riding horses in kilt as shown in the NLS photos

Ian

[4thGordons]

OK! Sorry for starting this particular hare it but it was a originally a comment on riding horses in kilt as shown in the NLS photos

Ian

Indeed - which is a new twist!

and the picture is the first I have seen with a kilt-wearing officer mounted. Great set of pictures - I wonder if our resident photo-colourist (CHRISCPW) might have any different result than he had with the IWM regarding copyright etc - some of these look like great material.

Chris

[17107BM]

Hi all.

I'm glad that Forum members have found them of interest. There is such a lot of material to see, that i skipped a sit down lunch and made sandwiches and got back on the web site.

[truthergw]

We have been round and round on this I think! SEE HERE - with links to other threads included in this one.However, the wearing of drawers under kilts and later (from early 1916 on) the issue of trousers (habitually referred to as trews) was indeed officially sanctioned during winter stays in the trenches. Joe Sweeney has posted copies of Canadian kilted units' orders relating to this (and the articles themselves) and there are several mentions of the practice in the 1/4th Gordons diary (changing back into kilts upon leaving the line) and a couple of other diaries I have examined

I was simply relating anecdotes as related to me by men who had experienced that winter, 14/15, in the trenches.

[4thGordons]

I was simply relating anecdotes as related to me by men who had experienced that winter, 14/15, in the trenches.

I wasn't intending to be critical at all, but you did offer that you "do not think this was ever officially sanctioned" - and I was offering several pieces of evidence that it was.

No offence intended.

Chris

[Ian Riley]

It would really support discussion of a different photo each week (I'm not volunteering) and enough material to keep going for seven years. This might enhance the commentary with them.

Did the IWM photos have to be pulled from the colourizing thread for copyright reasons? They all seem to be missing from the thread. Doutless it would tell me somewhere but I didn't have time to wade through 15 pages.

Ian

[truthergw]

I wasn't intending to be critical at all, but you did offer that you "do not think this was ever officially sanctioned" - and I was offering several pieces of evidence that it was.

No offence intended.

Chris

None taken. I never offer these anecdotes with any sort of guarantee of veracity. Nothing pleased these guys more than to tell the most outrageous lies with a straight face and get a young lad to believe them. It was a long time ago.

I have never investigated what the men wore, officially or unofficially but from my chats to them, I don't think they gave a toss for regulations in cases like that. I am inclined to look at official pronouncements on what was to be worn with a quizzical eye. In barracks, away from the war, bull reigns supreme, flashes are measured and sporrans trimmed. In the field, common sense prevails.