nsaspdin Posted 4 February , 2006 Share Posted 4 February , 2006 Would anyone like to identify this officer for me please. The clue I can give you is that it is from a Sherwood Forester 2nd Lt.'s personal album (I think 3rd Battalion), and he was probably an inspecting officer at a training camp at Crownhill or Plymouth (is this the same?) in October 1914, judging by the adjacent photographs in the album. Even if you don't know who he is, as I know nothing about Scottish uniforms, please do not feel restrained in pouring forth your expertise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnr.ktrha Posted 4 February , 2006 Share Posted 4 February , 2006 Hello, The one on the left is either a Drum Major or Pipe Major. he is wearing an Argyll & Sutherland Sporran with what looks like a Glasgow University OTC badge on it. The cap badge does not look like the usual one worn by Glasgow OTC. The other man has the QSA 1899-1902 medal The waist belt and Baldrick Belt are for those worn by the 2nd battalion The Black Watch. He is not however wearing Black Watch Uniform. The Badge on his Sporran looks like that of the Edinburgh University OTC. But the cap badge he is wearing looks like a Rampant Lion, which was worn by Scots College cadets of Australia!! I think they are probably members of OTC's bands. They are not members of British Regimental Bands. Or it could be that they are members of Service battalion bands and have just been issued any old uniform !! Hope this helps a bit. I will have a good look through some books and see if I can come up with anything definite. Regards, Stewart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted 4 February , 2006 Share Posted 4 February , 2006 Agreed, neither are Officers. Aye Malcolm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob B Posted 4 February , 2006 Share Posted 4 February , 2006 I think we are looking at the Drum and Pipe majors of a Battalion or TA unit. The Pipe Major on the left (with the Queens South Africa Medal) has a Cameron Highlander cross belt badge. Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nsaspdin Posted 4 February , 2006 Author Share Posted 4 February , 2006 I should add this if it helps. The officer who took and developed the photo was a Derby boy in the Nottingham University OTC prior to October 1914. Looking again at the photo there seems to be a party atmosphere, a small girl in a party dress and civilians. Perhaps this was an OTC family event earlier in 1914, and unlikely to be a training camp in Oct/Nov 1914. Would an OTC in Nottingham have such a man attached, or maybe he is a visitor. After all we chased the last such bonnie gentlemen out of Derby in 1745, I thought! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom A McCluskey Posted 4 February , 2006 Share Posted 4 February , 2006 Nigel, Yer man on the right, in no way, reflects the uniform of a regular Scottish soldier or of that of the 2nd Bn the Royal Highlanders (Black Watch, or 73rd Regiment of foot). He may have an embellishment that may be similar, but that is all. Please don't accept this as a pointy comment, it is just meant not to mislead. Yours Aye Tom McC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom A McCluskey Posted 4 February , 2006 Share Posted 4 February , 2006 may have an embellishment (not be similar) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Stewart Posted 4 February , 2006 Share Posted 4 February , 2006 Soldier to the left rear of these two old gents is probably Notts & Derby by the look of his capbadge. During this period civilian pipe bands were very popular and it's possible the one on the right may actually belong to one. I have an illustration of the Northumberland Veterans Pipe Band which used to play at Tyneside Scottish meetings in 1914, which I'll try and find for posting. Those that paraded with these bands were usually ex-Scots regiment pipers and as a result wore badges of former units. Check out the next pipe band you see playing on any City high street these days. Only the other day I saw a guy collecting for his pipe band sporting an H.L.I. capbadge in his glengarry. Graham. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nsaspdin Posted 4 February , 2006 Author Share Posted 4 February , 2006 This all makes sense gentlemen! Oh dear ! And to think I was under the impression that I had a photo of one of Haig's drinking pals.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted 4 February , 2006 Share Posted 4 February , 2006 IAfter all we chased the last such bonnie gentlemen out of Derby in 1745, I thought! No ye didn't, a certain Polish/Italian dwarf lost his bottle and turned back. Aye Malcolm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nsaspdin Posted 4 February , 2006 Author Share Posted 4 February , 2006 No ye didn't, a certain Polish/Italian dwarf lost his bottle and turned back. Aye Malcolm You are of course quite correct Malcolm, and I do apologise! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted 4 February , 2006 Share Posted 4 February , 2006 ...and sorry to nick the thread. Aye Malcolm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truthergw Posted 5 February , 2006 Share Posted 5 February , 2006 ...and sorry to nick the thread. Aye Malcolm Right now! You! Malcolm! just you put that thread right back where you got it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnr.ktrha Posted 5 February , 2006 Share Posted 5 February , 2006 Hello, Is it me? Was it misleading that the waist and Baldrick belts are of the pattern worn by the 2nd Battalion of the Black Watch ? I did state that he was not wearing the uniform of the Black Watch. However, I can say without a shadow of a doubt that the 2nd Battalion of the Black Watch did wear the same belts, somewhere between 1895ish and the mid 1920's. I've about 20 photographs and PC's that clearly show it. Want to see ? It also had the badge of the Cameron highlanders in the same place and then above the buckle the Black watch badge was worn. The old 73rd did not wear them. I've had a good look and I think they must be members of an OTC Pipe Band or Band's as they both have two different University Badges on there sporrans. The badges may not be for the Universities that I at first mentioned, as many Uni's have badges of the same shape. Does anyone know if there was ever a OTC camp in that area, or perhaps some sort of Beating retreat event ? Probably a look through local newspapers will answer this question. Regards, Stewart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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