13th Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada) CEF

[findabetterole]

Gentlemen,

I'm helping out a reenactor friend who has Scottish and Canadian family ties. The Regiment that he wishes to portray is The Royal Highlanders of Canada, with the battalion being the 13th.

Could I draw on our experts knowledge please for what the uniform and equipment would have looked like?

Some pertinant questions.

I've noted that Scottish Battalions wore both the Kilt and British Khaki uniform trousers, and also both the British uniform jacket and Scottish pattern jacket were worn with the Kilt.

'Q-1'.... What would have been the standard uniform worn on active service by the 13th RH-of-C?

'Q-2'.... Would the standard headdress have been the Tom-o-shanter, or the Glengarry?

Any period photographs as an aid to illustration / confirmation would be of a great help.

Seph

[4thGordons]

Gentlemen,

I'm helping out a reenactor friend who has Scottish and Canadian family ties. The Regiment that he wishes to portray is The Royal Highlanders of Canada, with the battalion being the 13th.

Could I draw on our experts knowledge please for what the uniform and equipment would have looked like?

Some pertinant questions.

I've noted that Scottish Battalions wore both the Kilt and British Khaki uniform trousers, and also both the British uniform jacket and Scottish pattern jacket were worn with the Kilt.

'Q-1'.... What would have been the standard uniform worn on active service by the 13th RH-of-C?

'Q-2'.... Would the standard headdress have been the Tom-o-shanter, or the Glengarry?

Any period photographs as an aid to illustration / confirmation would be of a great help.

Seph

Hi Seph:

Regarding Q1: Yes. There have been several threads about this but the gist is - after the winter of 1915/16 it became common for kilted battalions to wear trousers in the trenches, IIRC Joe Sweeney posted an operational order requiring this and I am almost certain it was Canadian.

In addition of course men whose daily duties included a mounted role (battalion transport etc) wore trousers.

Regarding the tailoring of the front of the jacket - yes a mix. Again, I think I am correct in saying that the front was usually modified by regimental/battalion tailors from standard SD jackets (I will stand corrected on this) However I am absolutely certain both styles of jacket were worn with the kilt. I have a standard SD jacket on my Gordons mannequin for the simple reason that the best picture of my great-grandad in SD has him wearing that style.

Regarding Q2: Scottish headress is a minefield and I think Joe Sweeney would be your man but as a general rule of thumb I would suggest that early on it would have been the glengarry, if the Canadians followed the parent regiment this will have been a plain glengarry... then later replaced with either a Tam-o-shanter or a balmoral. The details of this are going to vary with the unit.

I'll have a look through my pics - I have loads of Scots but not so many Candian Scottish units, not sure if I have RH of C. THERE IS ONE HERE THOUGH

I assume there is some connection with this lot? given their location.

There is a history of the battalion called: The 13th Battalion Royal Highlanders of Canada, 1914 - 1919 AVAILABLE AS A PDF HERE FOR FREE (or you can pay $135 for an original copy)

[findabetterole]

Thanks Chris. I can see that uniform standard is going to be a hard one to crack. Any idea as to where I will be able to get a copy of the order... stating that trousers must be worn instead of kilts?

Also, do you have any idea as to what the shoulder title would haver been for the 13th RH-of-C?

Seph

[shippingsteel]

Thanks Chris. I can see that uniform standard is going to be a hard one to crack. Any idea as to where I will be able to get a copy of the order... stating that trousers must be worn instead of kilts?

Also, do you have any idea as to what the shoulder title would haver been for the 13th RH-of-C?

Seph

Bootnecks, not sure if you're aware but THESE GUYS may be worth a visit for what your after. I've found them quite knowledgable and very helpful for a couple of my recent searches etc.

Cheers, S>S

[findabetterole]

Nice-One S-S.. I didn't know of the existance of this group... Thank you.

Seph

[Guest]

This is David C Grieve 13th CEF as a Private

As an Officer.

There is also this book

Hope it's of use.

Cheers Mike

[findabetterole]

Thanks Mike.

I've already downloaded the book, as it's the same one that Chris has mentioned in his post.

Seph

[Canadawwi]

Daniel Mackinnon

Private, 13th Battalion, C.E.F.

Was born in Greenock, Scotland, in 1892. At the age of fifteen entered the service of the Union Bank of Scotland, Ltd., at Port Glasgow. In 1912 he came to Canada and entered the service in the Bank of British North America. In August, 1914, he journeyed from British Columbia to Montreal at his own expense to enlist as a Private in the 13th Battalion, 5th Royal Highlanders of Canada. He arrived in France in February, 1915, and was detailed for duty with the machine-gun section of his battalion. He was in action with his unit in the Ypres salient during the spring of 1915. On May 23, 1915, immediately after the battle of the Orchard at Festubert, while his battalion was being relieved in the front line, he was instantly killed by enemy fire just as his tour of duty had ended.

[Canadawwi]

I have more on this somewhere - I'll get back to you in a few hours.

Toronto Star - June 29th, 1917:

Toronto Star - November 7, 1917:

[findabetterole]

I have more on this somewhere - I'll get back to you in a few hours.

Toronto Star - June 29th, 1917:

Toronto Star - November 7, 1917:

Thats excellent 'Canadawwi'. I look forward to anymore of the same if you have it. What would really be the icing on the cake, would be the order that Chris mentions in reference the Canadians going into Khaki trousers.

Seph

[Canadawwi]

I was certain I had something more specific, but have yet to find where I filed it. Here's another article. Read the top part:

Toronto Star - October 16th, 1918:

[Canadawwi]

I've been checking through the 13th Battalion War Diaries as some times various orders are included with the diary pages. I could not find anything yet, but I did find a good description of the requirements for dress to represent battle order on parade from October 16, 1917 at Estree Couchie:

Link to diary entry

[Guest fmacsg]

Dear Canadawwi,

RE: Daniel Mackinnon

Private, 13th Battalion, C.E.F.

I came across your posting while researching my family tree. Thank you for the info and photo in your posting on my great uncle Daniel. This is the only picture I have of him and I can see the likeness to my father.

fyi both Uncle Dan and his brother had unfortunate ends. Uncle Dan had gone to work in the Bank under protest. His father /my great grandfather was a chief engineer for the British India Steamship Navigation Company (now P&O) based out in India with his family living in Greenock, Scotland. Uncle Dan wanted to go to sea /head out to the Empire too but his father refused to give him permission to join the BISNC, insisting instead that he get a commercial training. By all accounts Uncle Daniel was miserable at the bank and as soon as he attained his majority he packed his bags and left Scotland for Canada. .....And WWi. I am told that my great grandfather blamed himself for Uncle Dan's death.

Daniel's brother, my grandfather, was four years younger and was allowed to go into shipping. After a clerical apprenticeship in Glasgow, he joined the P&O in Calcutta then went to Shanghai/Hong Kong; he fought in the HK Volunteer Defence Force in 1942 and died as a guest of the Emperor in Fukuoka Camp in Japan. Fortunately by then my great grandparents were both dead.

Fiona MacKinnon/Singapore

[Guest]

These are from the 13th Bn Diary August 1917

Mike