Laird of Camster Posted 12 October , 2012 Share Posted 12 October , 2012 Aye Aye, I`m well aware that there are numerous none British (Scottish) regiments, especially in Canada, but am curious to know how many of them where kilted? On the same espect, how many British Regiments, with Scottish in their title didn`t where kilts. The Tyneside Scottish being one such that springs to mind? Did the Liverpool Scottish where kilts? I know the London Scottish did. Rab. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roughdiamond Posted 12 October , 2012 Share Posted 12 October , 2012 No Scottish Infantry Regiment with Scots, Scottish in their title wore Kilts except for their pipe bands. King's Own Scottish Borderers, Royal Scots, Royal Scots Fusiliers, Scottish Rifles (Cameronians) and Highland Light Infantry (apart from 9th Bn) wore trews because they were Lowland Regiments, Kilts were never normal dress in the Lowlands. The word Highland in an Infantry Regiments title meant they wore Kilts apart from the HLI (they were the oddballs, recruited in Glasgow, so technically a Lowland Regiment), Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, Cameron Highlanders, Gordon Highlanders and Royal Highlanders (Black Watch). Sam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 12 October , 2012 Share Posted 12 October , 2012 Although I believe the HLI did get kilts after WW2. And, of course, the Scottish-titled TF battalions - 14th London and 10th King's - were kilted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBrockway Posted 12 October , 2012 Share Posted 12 October , 2012 In 1942, 5 Troop (Liverpool Scottish) of No 2 Commando were the last British Army unit to go into battle wearing the kilt on Operation Chariot - the Saint Nazaire Raid. They were formed from volunteers from the Liverpool Scottish, though by WW2, they were affiliated to the QOCH rather than the KLR. Capt Donald Roy, OC 5 Troop and known as The Laird, had fought hard with the War Office to get permission to wear the kilt - they had had to use standard battle dress in the Norway Campaign. Kilts had been deemed impractical for combat by the WO - I think at the end of WW1. Various explanations exist, but the blistering of exposed skin from chemical shells is the one I can personally relate to! Ouch! In common with the regimental tradition, they wore the Forbes tartan. A number of individuals wore kilts later in the war - e.g. at D-Day and Arnhem - and Canadian units wore the kilt routinely throughout the war. There's a wealth of info on this topic here on the Forum as it crops up repeatedly from new members. If you do a Search, you will uncover a mine of useful stuff. Cheers, Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laird of Camster Posted 12 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 12 October , 2012 Although I believe the HLI did get kilts after WW2. And, of course, the Scottish-titled TF battalions - 14th London and 10th King's - were kilted. Thanks Steve. I thought there had to be. I believe the 42nd Canadian Infantry Regiment wore kilts as well. I`m sure the other Canadian Scottish regiments must have done to? In 1942, 5 Troop (Liverpool Scottish) of No 2 Commando were the last British Army unit to go into battle wearing the kilt on Operation Chariot - the Saint Nazaire Raid. They were formed from volunteers from the Liverpool Scottish, though by WW2, they were affiliated to the QOCH rather than the KLR. Capt Donald Roy, OC 5 Troop and known as The Laird, had fought hard with the War Office to get permission to wear the kilt - they had had to use standard battle dress in the Norway Campaign. Kilts had been deemed impractical for combat by the WO - I think at the end of WW1. Various explanations exist, but the blistering of exposed skin from chemical shells is the one I can personally relate to! Ouch! In common with the regimental tradition, they wore the Forbes tartan. A number of individuals wore kilts later in the war - e.g. at D-Day and Arnhem - and Canadian units wore the kilt routinely throughout the war. There's a wealth of info on this topic here on the Forum as it crops up repeatedly from new members. If you do a Search, you will uncover a mine of useful stuff. Cheers, Mark Thanks mark, thats really interesting!!! No Scottish Infantry Regiment with Scots, Scottish in their title wore Kilts except for their pipe bands. King's Own Scottish Borderers, Royal Scots, Royal Scots Fusiliers, Scottish Rifles (Cameronians) and Highland Light Infantry (apart from 9th Bn) wore trews because they were Lowland Regiments, Kilts were never normal dress in the Lowlands. The word Highland in an Infantry Regiments title meant they wore Kilts apart from the HLI (they were the oddballs, recruited in Glasgow, so technically a Lowland Regiment), Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, Cameron Highlanders, Gordon Highlanders and Royal Highlanders (Black Watch). Sam Thanks Sam thats interesting. I hadn`t considered that. I just assumed that if you where a Scottish regiment, you`d wear a kilt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crunchy Posted 12 October , 2012 Share Posted 12 October , 2012 I believe there is a very fine photo of a member of this forum dressed in a London Scottish kilt - stunning shot. Can we see it again? Cheers Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laird of Camster Posted 12 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 12 October , 2012 I believe there is a very fine photo of a member of this forum dressed in a London Scottish kilt - stunning shot. Can we see it again? Cheers Chris That would be splendid, if we could!!! Does the London Scottish as a regiment still exist? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 12 October , 2012 Share Posted 12 October , 2012 I believe there is a very fine photo of a member of this forum dressed in a London Scottish kilt - stunning shot. Can we see it again? Cheers Chris I suspect the person in question is too modest. Either that or his Photobucket account is playing up. Does the London Scottish as a regiment still exist? "A" (London Scottish) Company, The London Regiment. Several blokes in Afghanistan as we speak. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 12 October , 2012 Share Posted 12 October , 2012 Well, inhibitions overcome ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dycer Posted 12 October , 2012 Share Posted 12 October , 2012 For correctness. The 9th Royal Scots were also a kilted Battalion. George Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Sweeney Posted 12 October , 2012 Share Posted 12 October , 2012 Wearing the Kilt (not mentioned): From Canada (CEF Batt'ns): 13, 15, 16, 17, 42, 43, 72, 73, 85, and 92. There were also a lot of pipe bands that wore Kilts in non kilted Batt'ns. South African Scottish. 6th Bn HLI Joe Sweeney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordon92 Posted 13 October , 2012 Share Posted 13 October , 2012 Also from CEF: 134th, 173rd, 174th, 179th. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laird of Camster Posted 13 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 13 October , 2012 Thanks to everyone who has posted a reply to my thread, very interesting reading all round!!!!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laird of Camster Posted 13 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 13 October , 2012 Just out of interest, would a kilted soldier, who later got transfered to the Labour Corps, keep his kilt or would he have to wear trousers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBrockway Posted 13 October , 2012 Share Posted 13 October , 2012 The Labour Corps were not a kilted unit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laird of Camster Posted 14 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 14 October , 2012 The Labour Corps were not a kilted unit. Thought that might have been the case. Just had visions of a sort of `Wild Geese` type affair, digging at the side of the road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Riley Posted 15 October , 2012 Share Posted 15 October , 2012 Well, inhibitions overcome ... Best replied to without the picture but clearly a very model of a 51st Highland Volunteer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hazelclark Posted 15 October , 2012 Share Posted 15 October , 2012 Well, inhibitions overcome ... That looks like an Irish kilt to me?!!!!!?? H.C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 15 October , 2012 Share Posted 15 October , 2012 How dare you madam Hodden Grey, if you please. (Seriously - I can see where you're coming from, but the London Scottish wear this because raised as they were from expatriate Jocks with no specific clan allegiance it was felt wrong to wear a clan-based sett. As a result they adopted Hodden, which as well as being non-clan, was also the grey of the Grey Brigade of London Rifle Volunteers. Still worn with pride, and by the Toronto Scottish) Best replied to without the picture but clearly a very model of a 51st Highland Volunteer G (The London Scottish) Company, 1/51 to be precise, circa 1979. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBrockway Posted 15 October , 2012 Share Posted 15 October , 2012 <snip> As a result they adopted Hodden, which as well as being non-clan, was also the grey of the Grey Brigade of London Rifle Volunteers. Still worn with pride, and by the Toronto Scottish) Thought you might find this snippet about the Grey Brigade (the QWRs in this specific case) interesting ... In July 1891 Kaiser Wilhelm II, Emperor of Germany and King of Prussia, was in the middle of a State Visit to London when he asked to inspect a unit of the Rifle Volunteer Corps. There were only 48 hours in which to organise and assemble the men, and it seemed that it might not be possible, when the Duke of Westminster intervened and said that his Regiment would do it. Urgent messages were then despatched to all the members of The Queen's Westminster Volunteers and at 8 a.m. on Friday, 10 July 1891, 30 officers, 54 sergeants and 700 other ranks, ou of a total regimental strength of 1,100, paraded before the Kaiser in the grounds of Buckingham Palace. The Kaiser was so impressed with the speed of their drill and turnout, that he commissioned a portrait of himself, which he presented to the Regiment in token of his appreciation. He also told Queen Victoria that he much liked the Regiment's field grey uniform and on return to Berlin he gave orders that his army was to be clothed in a uniform of similar design and colour.On receipt, the Kaiser's portrait was hung on a wall at the Regiment's headquarters at 58 Buckingham Gate, London. During the FIrst World War it was placed in storage. During the Second World War it was turned to face the wall. On the Regiment's merger with Queen Victoris's Rifles in 1961, the portrait was moved to 56 Davies Street, London, where it now hangs in the Officers Mess. [The King's Royal Rifle Corps ... the 60th Rifles, A Brief History: 1755-1965, Lt.Gen. Sir Christopher Wallace, (2005) - Appendix D, p.233] I don't know if this anecdote about German adoption of field grey is accurate or not - I suspect such a decision will have much more complex origins than the kaiser being impressed in 1891, but it may have been a factor and it's certainly a great story! Having a portrait of Kaiser Bill hanging in one's HQ must have been somewhat embarassing! Cheers, Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 15 October , 2012 Share Posted 15 October , 2012 Downstairs loo ...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Riley Posted 15 October , 2012 Share Posted 15 October , 2012 G (The London Scottish) Company, 1/51 to be precise, circa 1979. Best wishes from the late lamented V(The Liverpool Scottish) Company, 1st Bn 51st Highland Volunteers 1970- 80 There will be no photos however Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill24chev Posted 15 October , 2012 Share Posted 15 October , 2012 Thought you might find this snippet about the Grey Brigade (the QWRs in this specific case) interesting ... I don't know if this anecdote about German adoption of field grey is accurate or not - I suspect such a decision will have much more complex origins than the kaiser being impressed in 1891, but it may have been a factor and it's certainly a great story! Having a portrait of Kaiser Bill hanging in one's HQ must have been somewhat embarassing! Cheers, Mark The Kaiser was I believe the Colonel of one of the Regular Rifle regiments (possibly KRRC) amd I believe an Admiral(or Adm. of The Fleet in RN) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBrockway Posted 15 October , 2012 Share Posted 15 October , 2012 The Kaiser was I believe the Colonel of one of the Regular Rifle regiments (possibly KRRC) amd I believe an Admiral(or Adm. of The Fleet in RN) Definitely not the KRRC - Wallace's book (quoted above) also contains a list of the KRRC Colonels in Chief. [Edit] Done more checking - Also not the Rifle Brigade, though Kaiser Bill did have lunch with the Officers Mess of 4/RB in 1894! The Kaiser was Colonel in Chief of the 1st Royal Dragoon Guards (now part of the Blues & Royals). Cheers, Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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