A bit of a change

[HighlandSniper58]

OK folks - away from aircraft and weapons for a change........

Which was the last Highland Regiment of the British Army to wear the kilt into action, and when. What concession was granted to them in lieu of the kilt, and by whom. The Regiment no longer exsits, but where would you find its descendent traditions and battle honours today.

[Zofo]

Gordon Highlanders - they amalgamated with the Queen's Own (Cameron & Seaforth)?

[HighlandSniper58]

Sorry but no.

[HighlandSniper58]

Come on guys...............don't let me down, this one's easy. :cool:

[Zofo]

The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders at Escaut Canal, Belgium, May 1940?

[HighlandSniper58]

Way to go matey......................and the rest of the answer is?

[Zofo]

Don't know! I wasn't even sure if that was right!

[HighlandSniper58]

OK - in lieu of the kilt, King George VI granted the Regiment the right to wear a blue (they wanted white) hackle on their bonnets. It is still worn to this day by The Highlanders (Seaforths, Camerons and Gordons) and was worn by their predecessors The Queens Own Highlanders (an amalgamation of the Seaforths and Camerons) from 1961-1994

[Zofo]

Thank you, very interesting that - any more Scottish Regimental traditions?

[HighlandSniper58]

Well...............my Great Uncle Willie - died 2002 aged 96 - was RSM of 1st Bn. The Seaforth Highlanders in the early 50s, retired as a TA Major (MBE) in the 60s.

Pre-war, when the "Jocks" went off on a 24 or 48 hr pass - they paraded across a mirror to ensure that they were correctly (un)dressed beneath their kilts.

Army regs; stated in those days that undergarments for Highland soldiers were only to be worn when participating in Highland Games or Dancing events.

[HighlandSniper58]

To continue from above, and to give an idea of how things have changed.............

Uncle Willie joined 1st Seaforths in 1928, and after basic training at Fort George he joined the Bn. at Dover castle in 1929/30 just before they were posted to Shaghai. The Bn. re-inforced Hong Kong during the Munich crisis in 1938 and then returned to China. Willie returned home to the UK in early 1939 for a Bren instructor's course at the small arms school in Hythe, he was in the UK for six weeks, it took him a weeks leave to get home to Scotland and Back - he got 36 hours of it at home, he then returned to Shanghai.

The Bn. was on its way to Singapore when Singapore fell, and they were sent to India. They fought their way down through Burma through the thickest fighting finally arriving in their original intended destination of Singapore almost three years late, but for them the war was not over and after VE day they carried on fighting communist insurgents in what is now Indonesia until 1946 when the battalion was finally ordered home.

Imagine that - 16 years overseas service with only six weeks back in the UK, and only 1 week of home leave!

Willie later became RSM 1st Battalion The Seaforths, and then RSM Highland Training Bn. - the Senior Sgt, Major of the Highland division.

He retired as RSM (WO1) in 1952 and was commissioned into the Territorials the very next day, retiring as a Major in the mid-1960s.

Imagine the stories................

[Zofo]

For sure, that's some posting!
They charged transit time as part of leave as well? I know that in the days of Queen Victoria, time was allocated for transfers to/from postings in places such as India and Egypt. Must have been officers who got that then!
When did the rule for (un)dress or dress come into effect? To be honest the last time I saw anything regarding what was worn under the kilt was in "Carry On Up The Khyber"!!