balmoral and hackle for PTE

[Guest]

I have a letter dated 1914 from my great uncle that states during training he went from Ripon back to Kirrie to visit his mother for three days and he had on his balmoral and hackle.  I have read that officers had a red hackle.  Did Privates have a different coloured hackle?

[FROGSMILE]

2 hours ago, Leel said:

I have a letter dated 1914 from my great uncle that states during training he went from Ripon back to Kirrie to visit his mother for three days and he had on his balmoral and hackle.  I have read that officers had a red hackle.  Did Privates have a different coloured hackle?

 

The Black Watch were specially privileged to wear a red hackle in full dress head dress and a small version began to be worn by some battalions of the regiment in the Tam-o-shanter (a drab khaki bonnet) that gradually replaced the Balmoral for rank and file.  In general of course it was used only when out of the line.  The colour was the same for all ranks.

[Guest]

Thanks!

 

[gordon92]

There were two versions of the Balmoral......a blue bonnet pattern sealed in Feb 1915 (sometimes worn with khaki cover) and a drab Balmoral pattern sealed May 1915.  As noted by Frogsmile, the Balmoral was eventually displaced by the Tam O'Shanter which was simpler and cheaper to manufacture.  Some soldiers continued to wear the Balmoral throughout the War, witness this photo of a 2nd Black Watch RSM dated 1917 in Mesopotamia. This blue balmoral was the forerunner of the Black Watch's Blue Bonnet that was worn 1952-2006.