Kilted Regiments

[curious G]

Hello,

 

Im doing extensive research on the Great War for a project I'm doing. Been looking in particular at Scottish regiments. I understand most if not all in Argyll and Sutherland etc wore kilts.

 

I'm wondering if this was compulsory for soldiers or if they could opt for trousers instead?

 

Perhaps a bit daft to start a topic on but any help or input is greatly appreciated.

[MBrockway]

Why would they not want to wear the kilt?

 

[Ron Clifton]

curious G -  welcome to the Forum.

 

Highland regiments would normally wear the kilt, but not the Scots Guards or lowland regiments. The latter wore trews, unless they were pipers of the HLI who had kilts.

 

As the war progressed, Highlanders were allowed to wear trousers in bad weather, or when certain types of gas were about.

 

 Ron

[jay dubaya]

It tickles me when I think of my great uncle Arthur on home leave in his kilt strutting down the street with a swagger, tam at a jaunty angle, he served with the Cameron’s and the Argyll’s....... a Yorkshireman from Sheffield

[IPT]

 

Get thissen back int house, our Elijah, and put thy bloody drawers on, yer daft ******

[Steven Broomfield]

 Highland regiments (Black Watch, Seaforth Highlanders, Gordon Highlanders, Cameron Highlander and Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders) wore kilts, unless the role of an individual soldier (Transport section, for example) made trousers more sensible. A man would not have had an option to wear trousers instead.

 

Lowland regiments (Royal Scots, King's Own Scottish Borderers, Cameronians [not to be confused with the Cameron Highlanders] and Highland Light Infanry [a Lowland regiment, oddly who adopted the kilt in 1946]) wore trousers, although some battalions (9th Royal Scots and 6th HLI) were 'Highlanders' and therefore kilted.

 

Two other Territorial battalions (Liverpool Scottish and London Scottish) were also kilted. 

 

If you search the Forum (search box top right), you will find lots of threads on kilts and kilt-wearing.

 

Good luck with your researches.

[curious G]

Thank you both for your help.

 

Merry Christmas and a happy new year when it comes.

[Gardenerbill]

Echo what Steven says, we are not all rude on here, so welcome to the forum curious G and please don't be put off form asking more questions. 

[Ron Abbott]

14 hours ago, Ron Clifton said:

Ron A - you are being a bit unkind to curious G, whose first post on the Forum this was.

 

In.any case, as a Scot you should know that knickers, French or otherwise, are not worn under either a fur coat or a kilt. 

 

Mr Brockway - I am reliably informed that tartan, when wet, can wreak havoc on the knees.

 

curious G -  welcome to the Forum.

 

Highland regiments would normally wear the kilt, but not the Scots Guards or lowland regiments. The latter wore trews, unless they were pipers of the HLI who had kilts.

 

As the war progressed, Highlanders were allowed to wear trousers in bad weather, or when certain types of gas were about.

 

 Ron

 

It does indeed read that way, however I wrote it with a big smile on my face and with a bit of a chuckle. 

There was no disrespect or unkindness intended.  My fault. 

Apologies.

 

Ron A      

Edited 22 December , 2018 by Ron Abbott

[jay dubaya]

19 minutes ago, Ron Abbott said:

 

It does indeed read that way, however I wrote it with a big smile on my face and with a bit of a chuckle. 

There was no disrespect or unkindness intended.  My fault. 

Apologies.

 

Ron A      

 

only what the youth would call ‘banter’.

 

I must admit also to a smirk on my face when I read it first....the look that must have been on great uncle Arthur’s face when the handed him a skirt 

[Ron Clifton]

38 minutes ago, Ron Abbott said:

 

It does indeed read that way, however I wrote it with a big smile on my face and with a bit of a chuckle. 

There was no disrespect or unkindness intended.  My fault. 

Apologies.

 

Ron A      

I thought that was the case! But in reply to a new Pal with only one post, I thought it might be misinterpreted and put him off the Forum altogether, hence my (I hope) gentle chiding. I think he now knows that it was intended to be tongue in cheek.

 

Ron C

[MBrockway]

Likewise my post was not intended to be rude - I’m genuinely puzzled as to why the OP would think the men might prefer not to wear the kilt.

 

Steven’s raised transport section as one good reason. Ron C also mentions the chafing of the wet or frozen kilt hem against the knee under winter conditions, which is also well documented.  It was mustard gas that probably did most to put off the British Army continuing with the kilt on the battlefield going forward post war.  Kilts were worn by Canadian units in WW2, but AFAIK the last complete BRITISH Army unit to wear the kilt into battle was Donald “The Laird” Roy’s 5 Troop (Liverpool Scottish), No 2 Commando at the St Nazaire Raid in 1942.  Various famous pipers fought kilted later than this, but no complete British unit.

 

It would be good to know more about his Project. We could direct our information much better if we had a better idea what he’s trying to achieve.  He mentions he’s doing extensive research so this is clearly a pukka Project.

 

Mark

Edited 22 December , 2018 by MBrockway
Correcting predictive text errors!

[Moonraker]

11 minutes ago, MBrockway said:

... I’m genuinely puzzled as to why the OP would think the men might prefer not to wear the kilt...

As an aside, movements of men within the First Canadian Contingent on Salisbury Plain continued up to its departure in February 1915. A visit to Tidworth by the 16th (Canadian Scottish) Battalion in search of replacements yielded no results. A second visit produced some men originally intended for Princess Patricia's  Canadian Light Infantry who refused to wear the 16th's kilts and were returned to Tidworth, which declined to accept them. (Then, because the Pats were now part of a British division, the War Office said its drafts were under its control and could not be used to reinforce other Canadian units. So the men returned to Tidworth, before finally being allocated to the 16th. They had been on and off battalion and company rosters five times!)

 

Moonraker

 

[Steven Broomfield]

15 minutes ago, MBrockway said:

Likewise my post was not intended to be rude - I’m genuinely puzzled as to why the OP would think the men might prefer not to wear the kilt.

 

 

Mark

 

Having worn the kilt for 'parade dress' and also worn trousers as parade dress, I know which I'd prefer.  That said, I wouldn't want to wade through a muddy trench or fight my way through a barbed wire fence in a kilt!

 

 

[curious G]

Appreciate the posts at the beginning of the thread were light hearted lads don't worry I'm reasonably thick skinned.

 

This forums an absolute goldmine for information. Credit to you all for that

[Fattyowls]

Curious, a warm welcome and a thank you for asking the question; I've learned quite a lot from reading most of it. I hadn't realised that the London and Liverpool Scottish battalions were the only sassenach territorials to wear the kilt. But Steven says it's so and that is good enough for me.

 

Pete.

 

P.S. As for the humour once you get used to it it results in some laugh out loud moments. You'll be able to recognise the usual suspects in no time.

Edited 22 December , 2018 by Fattyowls

[Andrew Upton]

Not optional as such, but...

 

]

[Derek Black]

A good question.

 

A look at the officer group pics, taken on the eve of deployment, of the 1st, 5th, 6th and 8th Black Watch, show a minority of officers in kilts.

 

Many pics of prewar terriers at camp feature other ranks in breeks.

 

Cheers,

Derek.

[Tom Lang]

On ‎22‎/‎12‎/‎2018 at 08:12, jay dubaya said:

 

only what the youth would call ‘banter’.

 

I must admit also to a smirk on my face when I read it first....the look that must have been on great uncle Arthur’s face when the handed him a skirt 

... but you continue your insult with reference to "a skirt". Do you know how many soldiers (Scots and non-Scots) who died wearing a kilt? Please remove your smirk and get educated.

[jay dubaya]

I’m a Yorkshireman and great uncle Arthur’s kilt has always and will continue to be referred to as a skirt, I will smirk at whatever I wish Tom, I don’t see why you have asked how man Scots and non-Scots have died wearing a kilt, what is it you’re actually questioning here... my education or perhaps a tongue in cheek sense of humour? If you have taken offence to anything in this thread then......ho hum

 

[Martin Bennitt]

There have been sensible answers to this post and some that have crossed the borderlines. Please keep on the right side.

 

Thanks and cheers 

 

Martin B