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Remembered Today:

Black Watch Hose Tops Help


19141918noble

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My grandfather fought with 9th and later 6th (Service Battalions) Black Watch. I have a photograph of him probably taken just before being posted to 9th (August/September 1917) which I want to get colourised - see attached. I am clear on all the colours of the various parts of the uniform apart from the hose tops.

I believe that the hose tops worn by regular Black Watch officers were a dark red with a diamond pattern - see second photo attached. However, there appears to be no pattern on those worn by my grandfather.

Can anyone help with the likely colour/pattern of these hose tops? Could they have been just the dark red without the diamond pattern?

Many thanks,

Chris

FWMG Full Length Photo.jpg

1st battalion junior officer's hose tops.JPG

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Interesting one. The colour photie certainly shows the Black Watch hose-tops I know, but those in your grandfather' portrait seem to be plain. If so dark red would seem to be likeliest, but its a touch puzzling.

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Thanks Stuart. My guess also, but nice to have your thoughts.

Chris

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1 hour ago, 19141918noble said:

... Can anyone help with the likely colour/pattern of these hose tops? Could they have been just the dark red without the diamond pattern? ...

FWMG Full Length Photo.jpg

 

They will be plain khaki - not red. This was a war-time simplification that also (nominally) aided camouflage purposes.

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3 hours ago, Andrew Upton said:

They will be plain khaki - not red. This was a war-time simplification that also (nominally) aided camouflage purposes.

I wondered about that but they look a bit dark

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I think you will find that for use in the field the very dark blue laid down for the hose tops of all Royal regiments was adopted.  The Black Watch were The Royal Highland Regiment.  This was in lieu of the coloured dress hose tops.  For other ranks the universal pattern was drab (dark khaki) although in some battalions they too were issued with the dark blue, which were quite widely available.  

1A3A19EE-9C56-443F-8827-F81F69851770.jpeg

53B17AB5-6A3D-4956-970A-3B741D3467D7.jpeg

94FE7208-92D3-4FDF-A9F0-4055B87844A6.jpeg

1BE8C621-9A0D-4B6C-A11A-062BEE07198E.jpeg

Edited by FROGSMILE
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Ah, that'll explain it. As I said they certainly looked too dark to be khaki

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Thanks all; interesting and helpful photos - thanks Frogsmile.

Very dark blue it is!

Chris

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