Possible Cameron Highlanders Uniform

[Guest]

Can anyone please help me to identify the uniform thanks

[Michelle Young]

Welcome to the forum. A lovely clear image. He’s wearing a mourning button. I’m going to hand over to the tartan experts now. 
Michelle 

[Andrew Upton]

I would suggest Gordon Highlanders - single curved shoulder title with what looks like a rounded first letter, the tartan (allowing for the "disappearing" yellow stripe due to the orthochromatic film process), the pointed ended flashes in his hose-tops and the fact he helpfully appears to be wearing regimental buttons of a good match to the Gordons pattern would all seem to support this. There also appears to be a shoulder patch present that would help confirm this, or otherwise:

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 2 July , 2020 by Andrew Upton

[FROGSMILE]

I think he’s a Queen’s Own (Cameron) Highlander.  For Evelyn: The mourning button was a British cultural tradition that was tolerated by the Army during the war providing not on parade, and generally represented the loss of a family member.  His rank is Corporal (2-stripes) so he would ordinarily have commanded a section of 10-men (if at full strength).

 

 

Edited 2 July , 2020 by FROGSMILE

[PhilB]

The mourning button is described as a normal button but covered in black cloth or painted. I had assumed it was a specially bought black button!

[Andrew Upton]

17 minutes ago, FROGSMILE said:

I think he’s a Queen’s Own (Cameron) Highlander.  For Evelyn: The mourning button was a British cultural tradition that was tolerated by the Army during the war providing not on parade, and generally represented the loss of a family member.

 

Camerons tartan has a difference which results in three thin horizontal stripes being part of the design, versus two stripes on the Gordons tartan - in the photo there appear to be only two... Also the Cameron buttons are noticeably different to those in the photo, and they are clearly not GS...

 

Edited 2 July , 2020 by Andrew Upton

[FROGSMILE]

54 minutes ago, Andrew Upton said:

 

Camerons tartan has a difference which results in three thin horizontal stripes being part of the design, versus two stripes on the Gordons tartan - in the photo there appear to be only two... Also the Cameron buttons are noticeably different to those in the photo, and they are clearly not GS...

 

You might be right Andrew.  I don’t see this as a competition, it’s just what I think can see and I confess that my phone screen limits visibility to some degree.  I think I can read Cameron (7-letters rather than 6) on the shoulder title and the orthochromatic film affects the appearance of kilts as you know.  I’ll be interested to see what other contributions say (there are plenty of Scottish aficionados) and no doubt a consensus will be reached at some point.  Incidentally the Gordon’s wore ‘belled’ hose tabs, the Cameron’s did not.

 

NB.  Whichever he is I think that he’s a regular.  The large battle patch at the very top of both arms was not worn by TF or War Service units of either regiment.  It might assist with the ID.

Edited 2 July , 2020 by FROGSMILE

[Dragoon]

Cameron Highlanders, a quick zoom on the button and you can see the thistle and crown.

Nice photo!

Chris

Edited 2 July , 2020 by Dragoon

[Grovetown]

1 hour ago, Andrew Upton said:

I would suggest Gordon Highlanders.

 

My first thought on the kilt was Gordons.

 

Anything you can do with the image of some of my old kilts below - decolourise it - to help? Gordons left, Camerons right (Seaforths centre).

 

Cheers,

 

GT.

 

[Grovetown]

36 minutes ago, FROGSMILE said:

NB.  Whichever he is I think that he’s a regular.  The large battle patch at the very top of both arms was not worn by TF or War Service units of either regiment.  It might assist with the ID.

 

Au contraire. 5th Camerons wore a large yellow arc which, given the vagaries of orthochromatic  film, this might be.

 

Other New Army Camerons had rectangles. Gordons TF had quite a defined scheme, but this is not it.

 

Although the records are incomplete for both, I'm now favouring Camerons for the patch alone (unless Andrew can do wizardry wih the kilt pic).

 

Cheers,

 

GT.

 

 

[FROGSMILE]

34 minutes ago, Grovetown said:

 

Au contraire. 5th Camerons wore a large yellow arc which, given the vagaries of orthochromatic  film, this might be.

 

Other New Army Camerons had rectangles. Gordons TF had quite a defined scheme, but this is not it.

 

Although the records are incomplete for both, I'm now favouring Camerons for the patch alone (unless Andrew can do wizardry wih the kilt pic).

 

Cheers,

 

GT.

 

 

Thank you, that seems like distinct progress to me.  I thought I had obtained my information from David Bilton’s ostensibly seminal work on Kitchener badges and could not see a similar image, but reading the text more thoroughly now I see that the 5th Battalion Queen’s Own (Cameron) Highlanders categorically refers to the coloured company arcs as you say, so I think that seems fairly definitive.  The list states:

 

Red Arc - A Company.

Yellow Arc - B Company.

Blue Arc - C Company.

Green Arc - D Company

 

On considering the orthochromatic rendering of such colours I agree that B Company seems the most likely.  
 

Notwithstanding all the clues discussed, for me it was what I felt strongly was a 7-lettered shoulder title that clinched my early opinion.  Sometimes it’s the simplest things that make a difference.

 

P.S.  Kudos to Pete for the button ID.

Edited 2 July , 2020 by FROGSMILE

[Ypres1915]

Here is an enlargement of the shoulder.

[FROGSMILE]

36 minutes ago, Ypres1915 said:

Here is an enlargement of the shoulder.

 

Thank you, it shows the dimensions of the battle patch and it’s hand stitching much better.