Balmorals and Tam O’Shanters

[Lachlan]

I would appreciate wartime photos and thoughts on the a.m. headgear worn by Scottish regiments and 'expat' units.

Also, does anyone have "live"examples of these hats which could be posted, from a collection etc ?

My understanding is that the Glengarry was still being worn in the trenches into the early summer of 1915. Photos of the 2^nd Argylls at Bois Grenier & Armentieres and the 9^th Argylls at 2^nd Ypres show them in use alongside comforters etc. Of course, that could partly be due to the blossoming love-affair the Argylls have had with the scarlet/white diced cap ever since, wearing it at every opportunity (as photos of WW2, Korea and Aden testify).

As I understand it, the balmoral was introduced in Summer 1915. It was plain dark blue (perhaps dark green for Scottish Rifles and HLI ?) with no dicing, close-fitting (beret-like) in shape, scarlet toorie, black silk ribbon-tails. It seems to have been made with the crown curved rather than flat, as photos show it having a domed shape in use (more so when stuffed with a hankie or other goodies). It also seems to have been issued with a tailored khaki cotton cover with no toorie, plus a tightening draw-string. Photos exist of it being worn with and without a cover.

One of the best photos I have seen, in a book on Scottish military uniforms, really clear and close-up, shows a small group of 2^nd Seaforths lined up at a barracks or billet in mid-1915. They are wearing utility GS tunics with kilts, kilt-covers etc and all wear the new balmoral with cover. The crusty, rather stern SM has an excellent moustache, waxed at the ends. Does anyone have access to this photo which could be posted ?

I presume this is the uniform of the Loos era.

When did the all-khaki cloth Tam O' Shanter take over, the famous Jocks' pancake ? Presumably winter 1915, as I have seen photos of December 1915 where soldiers are wearing it. It seems as if it was worn conventionally, fully on the head and often worn flat, like a bunnet. Through R&F wore rougher material, officers wore the same size pancake but made of finer, officers' tunic-cloth material. I used to have a Royal Scots officer's TOS with badge in my collection.

Other, more imaginative ways of wearing it, from the full-head "beret tugged-over" look, to worn on the back of the head look, to the near-vertical sharp "slice" worn on the right-side of the head (aka walking beside it) look, were high-fashion in WW2. The late 1950's saw the full-flat on head, wired-seam, teddy-boy-grooved-pompadour/sloping ski-jump look worn by R&F worn until the small TOS was introduced in the 1990's. A long way away from WW1 !

Please contribute !

[high wood]

This is S/40490 L/Cpl George McDonald, 6th Btn Cameron Highlanders, who was killed in action on 19th December 1917, wearing his Tam O'Shanter complete with cover.

[high wood]

This is S/13386 Cpl Norman Mitchell, 14th Btn A&S Highlanders.

[high wood]

Unknown serjeant 1/5th Seaforth Highlanders demonstrating yet another way of wearing the Tam O'Shanter.

[Waddell]

Other, more imaginative ways of wearing it, from the full-head "beret tugged-over" look, to worn on the back of the head look, to the near-vertical sharp "slice" worn on the right-side of the head (aka walking beside it) look, were high-fashion in WW2. The late 1950's saw the full-flat on head, wired-seam, teddy-boy-grooved-pompadour/sloping ski-jump look worn by R&F worn until the small TOS was introduced in the 1990's. A long way away from WW1 !

Please contribute !

Lachlan,

Possibly going off-topic here but I have a book about the Argylls that served in Singapore when the Japanese invaded during the Second World War. It mentions that at the time the 2nd Battalion Argylls wore the glengarry at an angle to distinguish them from the 1st Battalion who wore them straight.

I don't know if that distinction occurred during the Great War, bearing in mind the number of Battalions. Someone may be able to add to it though.

The book also mentions that the Argylls cap badge was the largest in the British army. Highwood's photo of the Argyll certainly highlights the size of the badge.

Scott

[Lachlan]

Here's a group of Argylls mid-1915 wearing the blue balmoral with canvas cover. The hat is quite small and the badge, if worn, is covered.

Interestingly, the 1917 photo posted previously looks intriguingly large and judging by the date, I wonder if it's a khaki cloth TOS with a cotton cover.

Indeed, the Argylls cap badge is reputedly the largest in the British Army

[Joe Sweeney]

Lachlan,

There are those with much more comprehensive collections than mine.

However, here is a short synopsis.

Balmorals (Blue/Red Torrie, Blue/Black Torrie and Green) were pattern sealed in March 1915. Howver issue began much earlier. The 2nd Gordons got them in Feb 1915 and were ordered not to wear until a cover was provided (theatre made versions were avalible shortly after Feb and pattern sealed examples in July 1915).

Drab Balmorals were pattern sealed in May 1915.

Tams were pattern sealed in May 1915 and covers in July 1915.

There was quite a bit in over lap of wear of this head gear.

In fact trhe winter scale of clothing for the BEF stipulated in the fall of 1915 (GRO1201) that Drab Balmoral, Blue with cover and Tams were equivelently acceptable for wear. This scale of issue was good through Spring of 1916.

I published a very detailed incomprehensible article on Scottish Head gear on Military Magazines issue 279 a few years back.

Hope this helps--more folks will be posted better original examples in time.

Joe Sweeney

[Joe Sweeney]

Given the limit on photos here are a few more

Joe

[eltoro1960]

You can see quite a few varieties of headgear and alternative 'fashions' of wearing same on my website, this is a group of NCO's in early 1915 probably near Armentieres. There seems to have been an array of Tam O'Shanters, Glengarries, Caps, balaclave et all worn.

John

[Tyneside Chinaman]

Hi,

17700 Pte Henry Couper, 12/Highland LI, August 1918, note the light coloured battle patch in use when they are part of 106 Brigade.

regards

John

[Lachlan]

Thank you all for your excellent infomation. Any further info will be greatly recieved.

I attach a photo of my maternal Granddad Pte Peter Montgomery (Piper, 2/7th Royal Scots) at a military hospital. He is back row, cleanshaven in a TOS. I do not know which hospital it is, or why or when he was there. Any info greatly recieved !

[Tim P]

I am keen to establish when the Camerons made the transition (ie over what period as inevitably there would be a cross-over)

anyone able to help?

[RobL]

My great-grandad's unit, 4th Highland Mountain Brigade, Royal Garrison Artillery (my gt-grandad is supposed to be the one on far left) - would they have worn the Royal Artillery badge in the usual spot?

[CSMMo]

Rob,

Royal Artillery badge with a tartan backing. Each battery had their own as did the Brigade HQ.

HQ 4th Highland Mountain Brigade, RGA (TF) = Royal Stuart (Lord Bute, the Stuart heir, was their honorary Colonel)

Argyll Mountain Battery = Campbell

Bute Mountain Battery = Hunting Stuart

Ross & Cromarty Mountain Battery = Mackenzie

Mike Morrison

[RobL]

Thanks Mike - do you know which type of Campbell tartan it would be for Argyll battery?

[CSMMo]

I haven't seen anything that is that specific for the AMB, Sorry.

Mike Morrison

[Gareth Powell]

Does anyone know whether the tartan cloth backing for the Regimental badges would have been stitched onto the Tam O Shanter or simply held in place by the badge itself? 
I have been so far unable to make up my mind from looking at photographs of surviving examples. 
I belong to the Great War Society (living history re-enactment society) and live in Ayr in Scotland. I am putting together the necessary adjustments to my existing Y&L uniform in order to portray a post 1915 soldier of the Royal Scots Fusiliers. I have recently bought a reproduction Great War TOS, the correct cloth backing and already have an original cap badge. Everything we do in the GWS is about being as accurate as possible and if anyone can advise me on how best to wear the cloth backing behind the badge I would be extremely grateful.

[FROGSMILE]

19 hours ago, Gareth Powell said:

Does anyone know whether the tartan cloth backing for the Regimental badges would have been stitched onto the Tam O Shanter or simply held in place by the badge itself? 
I have been so far unable to make up my mind from looking at photographs of surviving examples. 
I belong to the Great War Society (living history re-enactment society) and live in Ayr in Scotland. I am putting together the necessary adjustments to my existing Y&L uniform in order to portray a post 1915 soldier of the Royal Scots Fusiliers. I have recently bought a reproduction Great War TOS, the correct cloth backing and already have an original cap badge. Everything we do in the GWS is about being as accurate as possible and if anyone can advise me on how best to wear the cloth backing behind the badge I would be extremely grateful.

I think it was more commonly held in place by the badge itself.  It was thus easily removed when the badge was taken off to clean and allowed the bonnet to be cleaned rigorously without damaging the tartan.  For many of the battalion’s that favoured a tartan patch (not all did, even within the same regiment) it was often a fad to tease out the edges of the patch to create a rudimentary frill, or uniformly tattered edge. 

Edited 29 June , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[Gareth Powell]

Thank you so much, I really appreciate that information which also ties in with a lot of the images I have seen where the edges of the tartan do look very frayed but all the way round. I suppose it would also make it easier  if the tartan wasn’t stitched beautifully in place should men be transferred to other regiments to make up numbers in depleted Battalions where a change of badge and tartan would be required.

Sincerest thanks!

 

[gordon92]

I have three Tam O'Shanters in my collection from the Great War that have tartan backing.  None of the tartan patches are stitched in place. So, I would say that the previous guidance from Frogsmile is correct.

[FROGSMILE]

7 hours ago, Gareth Powell said:

Thank you so much, I really appreciate that information which also ties in with a lot of the images I have seen where the edges of the tartan do look very frayed but all the way round. I suppose it would also make it easier  if the tartan wasn’t stitched beautifully in place should men be transferred to other regiments to make up numbers in depleted Battalions where a change of badge and tartan would be required.

Sincerest thanks!

 

The frayed edges replicated the much older tradition of a similar affectation to the edge of the woven cockades (rosettes) that decorated the bonnet, glengarry, or tricorne and originally signified allegiance to either, the Jacobite cause (white), or their Hanoverian adversaries (black).  Later on former Jacobites were brought into the service of the British Army and to demonstrate their revised allegiance the Highlanders started to wear the black cockade on their ‘blue bonnets’ that had once been largely associated with the Jacobites (excepting the companies of Black Watch). Once battered and worn these cockades became frayed around the edges and marked out a hardened veteran with service under his belt.  The much later tartan patches, worn to distinguish and dress up the otherwise drab and colourless TOS, emulated this. 

Edited 30 June , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[Gareth Powell]

I really appreciate this information, it greatly enhances my understanding of Scottish Regimental tradition and the appearance of the tartan I need to achieve.

Thank you! 

[Gareth Powell]

11 hours ago, gordon92 said:

I have three Tam O'Shanters in my collection from the Great War that have tartan backing.  None of the tartan patches are stitched in place. So, I would say that the previous guidance from Frogsmile is correct.

Thank you, much appreciated! 

[FROGSMILE]

On 30/06/2023 at 11:45, Gareth Powell said:

I really appreciate this information, it greatly enhances my understanding of Scottish Regimental tradition and the appearance of the tartan I need to achieve.

Thank you! 

I admire that you are researching things to the best of your ability with the aim to get your outfit as accurate as possible.  Good luck with your endeavours.

NB.  The Black Watch subsequently never wore the black cockade on their headdress again, as they did not need to demonstrate their allegiance to the crown.  They were titled ‘The Royal Highland Regiment’ for a reason.

 

Edited 1 July , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[Gareth Powell]

Thank you for those comments, they are sincerely appreciated! Never having served myself (two attempts to join the Army then RN Reserves both failed on ground of history of depression) I regard it an honour and a privilege to wear the uniform that represents someone who did. The two Societies that I am associated with (GWS and Scots at War) have at their heart a desire to educate the public about the highs and lows of life as a serving British Army soldier during the world wars, honour and perpetuate their memory, and continually learn more about their experiences including use of kit etc.

The Great War Society website 

The Great War Society

The Scots at War website

Scots at War