Gordon Highlanders

[KILTY]

Taken from the War Diary of The 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders February 1915.

" Blue Balmoral bonnets issued replacing the Glenngarry, but not to be worn in trenches until Khaki covers arrived; too conspicuous".

I was under the impression the Gordons wore the khaki tam o shanter.

Any thoughts?

Regards, John

[bkristof]

they did used bal morals indeed. But not long + not in the trenches. You sometimes see them on studio pics.

[Joe Sweeney]

John,

The Gordon's went to war wearing the Glengarry. The Balmorals started making their appearance in early 1915 to replace the Glens in France.

This actually is a case of an item of uniform being sent to France before official adoption. The Blue Balmorals weren't officially adopted until 1 March 1915. GRO 671 (Feb 1915) stated that khaki covers would soon be available. A khaki waterproof cover was adopted in July 1915.

A Khaki Balmoral was adopted in May and issue of both Blue Balmorals with covers and Khaki balmorals happened in parrellel as can be found as late as the clothing scales issued with GRO 1201, 11 October 1915.

And yes Balmorals were used in the Trenches and are quite commonly photographed. The famous photo of the four highlanders in gas masks circa May 1915 are all but one are wearing Balmorals.

The Tam-O Shanter was not adopted until May 1915. Its first appearance in clothing scales was in GRO 1201 but actual issue was much earlier.

So the Glen came first followed by the Balmoral followed by the Tam-O shanter.

Joe Sweeney

[Tim Godden]

John,

The Balmoral was adopted in the trenches as it did not have quite as distinctive a shape as the Glengarry. It was to act as a stop gap until the production of Tams had reached a high enough level for issuing.

As Joe says there is the famous photo of the officer group. I think from memory you may be able to pick out one or two in a set of RSF photos taken in early 1915 as well.

All the best,

Tim