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Remembered Today:

Gordon Highlanders (no kilts?)


Laird of Camster

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Aye Aye Gents,

I stumbled upon a photo of a Gordon Highlanders Lewis gun crew, 3 of the men are wearing kilts, but the 4th man is wearing trousers. All wear theTam o'Shanter head dress and have Gordons cap badge. Anyone one got any ideas? (I did try and attach the picture, but I don`t seem to be able to attach it, don`t know if its because I`m new to the forum).

Robert Mcleod.

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More likely than not, he was in the battalion's mounted/ transport section - who would be trousered, regardless of being in a kilted regiment.

Cheers,

GT.

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(I did try and attach the picture, but I don`t seem to be able to attach it, don`t know if its because I`m new to the forum).

:whistle:http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WWI-Gordon-Highlanders-Lewis-Gun-Off-Duty-Gunners-Military-Postcard-British-Army-/271071223167?pt=UK_Collectables_Militaria_LE&hash=item3f1d1a9d7f&nma=true&si=wkMxfRAE9gXaXu87COqqShGVmYE%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557 :hypocrite:

If this is the one you mean, which I'm certain, then they are not Gordons (despite what the seller had listed) but Seaforths.

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I think I might have seen this picture for sale on eBay - I am not actualy entirely convinced that they are Gordons (I can't make out the badges and although they have belled hose flashes they look like they may be single flashes as opposed to double) although they may be....As Grovetown says any man whose role was mounted would have worn trousers - I have a dozen or so photos of Gordons so dressed. Furthermore - after the privations of the winter of 1915 it was common for kilted troops (sometimes by order) to wear tousers during periods of particularly inclement weather. Several of the Gordons battalion's war diaries indicate changing back into kilts before returning to rest areas.

Chris

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I think I might have seen this picture for sale on eBay...

Too slow :thumbsup:

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These men were Seaforths, not Gordons. The yellow stipe of the Gordon tartan did not show up in photographs at this time. Note the flashes on their hose too.

The trousers of the man on the right look quite new and clean. Perhaps he is just wearing them while his kilt is getting repaired or cleaned?

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These men were Seaforths, not Gordons. The yellow stipe of the Gordon tartan did not show up in photographs at this time. Note the flashes on their hose too.

The trousers of the man on the right look quite new and clean. Perhaps he is just wearing them while his kilt is getting repaired or cleaned?

A minor point: The Seaforth Highlanders referred to themselves as the 'Seaforth' (singular).

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