A question for veterans?

[Dukeof Kircaldy]

Scottish Regiments By Tartan:

Atholl or Murray of Atholl – worn by the Atholl Highlanders, the private army of the Duke of Atholl.
Also worn by:
The Transvaal Scottish Regiment in South Africa.(Pipers wear Murray of Tullibardine – the Marquis of Tullibardine is the son of the Duke of Atholl).
The Pipe Bands of Trinity College, Glenalmond, Scotland.
4th S.A. Infantry (South African Scottish)
Scottish Horse, Pipers

Black Watch – also known as the Universal or Government tartan. Whilst being worn by the 42nd Black Watch Regiment (The Royal Highland Regiment), since 1739 this tartan has formed the basis upon which many other Regiment's tartans were designed, most notably Gordon (Gordon Highlanders), MacKenzie (Seaforth Highlanders and the Highland Light Infantry), Sutherland (Princess Louise's Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders).
The belief that the Black Watch tartan was based on the Campbell Tartan is disputed by several experts. (The Black Watch Pipers wear the Stewart Royal Tartan).
The "Watches" were a system of policing to prevent cattle lifting and the Black Watch tartan was eminently suitable in this role.

Also worn by
The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment) until 1901 when they adopted the Hunting Stewart.
The Glasgow Highlanders (HLI).
The Gordon Highlanders (75th & 92nd Foot), wore the Black Watch tartan prior to 1778 after which a yellow line was added.
The 91st Argyllshire Highlanders, raised in 1794.
The Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders (the tartan was referred to as the Sutherland tartan but was the Black Watch in a slightly lighter shade)
Breadalbane Fencibles 1793 wore the Black Watch at first but later added two yellow lines. It became called the Campbell of Breadalbane
New South Wales Scottish (Australia)
Royal New South Wales Regiment (Australia)
Dunedin Highland Rifle Volunteers (New Zealand)
Wellington Highlanders (New Zealand)
Auckland Highland Rifle Volunteers (New Zealand)
1st Armoured Car Regiment (New Zealand Scottish)
Royal Durban Light Infantry (South Africa)
Black Watch (The Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada

Baluch Regiment Tartan - Baluch Regiment Pakistan

Buccleuch – Pipers of the King's Own Scottish Borderers TA.

Campbell of Breadalbane – The Breadalbane Fencibles (1793).

Campbell of Cawdor – worn by several Argyll Fencibles and 91st Regt. after 1886..

Cameron of Erracht – Worn by the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders (79th Cameron Highlanders). When asked if the Regiment would adopt the tartan of the 42nd Black Watch the reply was an emphatic "No" and the Cameron of Erracht tartan in fact, owes its origins to the MacDonald tartan. After the Seaforth and the Cameron Highlanders were amalgamated to form the QOCH, further amalgamation took place with the Gordon Highlanders to form the "Highlanders" in 1994.

Also worn by
The Pipe Band of Merchiston Castle School, Edinburgh, Scotland.
Prince Alfred's Guard 1874 (South Africa)

The amalgamation of the Seaforths and the Cameron Highlanders in 1960 when they became the Queens Own Highlanders caused much heartburn over their tartan but a decision was taken to allow them to wear a MacKenzie kilt and Cameron Trews. Their Bandsmen wore the reverse.

Childers – Named after Rt Hon Hugh C.E.Childers, Secretary of State for War in 1907, it was used by the 1st Ghurka Rifles.

Dalziel - worn as trews by Royal Scots Grey pipers.

Davidson – Worn by the 48th Highlanders of Canada. Today the Pipe Band of the Regiment wears the Stewart of Fingask tartan.

Douglas – Worn by the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles 26th & 90th Foot) . The first Colonel of the Regiment was called Graham which would have been their preferred choice of Tartan but was not sanctioned.
Also worn by Witwatersrand Rifles, South West Africa and by Natal Mounted Rifles (South Africa).

Erskine (Red/Green) - worn by the Pipers of the Kings Own Scottish Borderers TA pre 1940, who thereafter wore the Buccleuch Tartan. Worn by Royal Scots Fusiliers' pipers and then from 1958 worn by the Royal Highland Fusiliers.

Erskine Red/Black - worn by the Royal Scots Fusiliers Pipers.

Erskine Hunting – worn by the Royal Scots Fusiliers (21st Foot) from 1948 onwards (see Erskine Red for pipers). Prior to this they had worn the Government tartan with the addition of a bluish line.

Forbes – worn by the Liverpool Scottish Territorials.

Fraser Hunting – Lovat Scouts

Gordon – Worn by the Gordon Highlanders raised by the Duke of Gordon in 1793
and having added a yellow line to the Black Watch Tartan, the Gordon family having had no family tartan of their own.
Also worn by
Canterbury Scottish Rifle Volunteers 1900 (New Zealand).
Wanganui Highland Rifles(Volunteers), (New Zealand).
Cape Town Highlanders (South Africa)

Government – see under Black Watch

Graham of Montrose – First City Regiment, South Africa.

Lamont – The Lamont tartan, being the Black Watch with a white line added, was worn from 1846 by the 74th Highlanders, later 2nd Battalion Highland Light Infantry.

Leslie – Trews worn by the King's Own Scottish Borderers.

London Regiment – This tartan was designed in 2000 by Johnstons of Elgin on the request of the London Regiment which, in 1993 formed a combined force of The London Scottish TA, The Queen's Regiment, The City of London Fusiliers, and The London Irish.

MacDonnell of Glengarry – Glengarry Highlanders TA, Canada

MacKenzie – worn by the Highland Light Infantry 71st & 74th Foot (also see Lamont) and the Seaforth Highlanders 72nd & 78th Foot,
Also worn by
South Australian Scottish Regiment (Australia)
Royal South Australia Regiment (Australia)
Kaffrarian Rifles (South Africa)
Royal Highland Fusiliers (trews) , a new Regiment in 1958.
Kimberley Scottish.

MacKintosh - Fife & Forfar Yoemanry.

Murray of Atholl – Scottish Horse, Pipers.

Rajput – The Rajput Regiment Tartan

Robertson Hunting - 19th Regiment Royal Artillery Highland Gunners (Rank slides)

Stewart of Fingask – worn by the Pipers of the 48th Highlanders, Canada

Stewart Hunting – Trews worn by the Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment) First of Foot.
Also worn by
The Pretoria Highlanders (South Africa)
Calcutta Scottish (India)
Bombay Volunteer Rifles (India)
Shanghai Volunteer Corps (China)
Loretto School, Cadet Force, Edinburgh, Scotland

Prince Charles Edward Stuart – worn by the 72nd Regiment Seaforths (The Duke of Albany's Own Highlanders) as trews(1809) until almalgamation with the 78th (Ross-shire Buffs) in 1881 after which they both wore MacKenzie.
Also worn by
Royal Company of Archers in early 18th Century.
.
Stewart, Royal – Kilts were worn by the Pipers of several Regiments after King George V decreed that, as the Sovereign's personal tartan, it could be used.
Pipers of The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment)
Pipers of the King's Own Scottish Borderer's
Pipers of the Black Watch Regiment
Pipers of the Scots Guards
Pipers of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards
- 4 -
Sutherland – worn by Princess Louise's Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders.
Also worn by Byron Regiment (Australia)

Universal – see under Black Watch.


Military Kilts not in Tartan

Hodden Grey – The London Scottish Regiment TA, founded in 1859, wear plain kilts of Hodden Grey, the colour of their founder Lord Elcho's hunting coat. It was reputed, at the time of the Boer War, when the Regiment won their first Battle Honours, to be the start of the use of camouflage in the British Army.

Also worn by
The Toronto Scottish, Canada

Saffron - London Irish Pipers.

Royal Company of Archers, the Queen's Bodyguard for Scotland

Black Watch Tartan – It is worthy of note that the Royal Company wore the Prince Charles Edward Stewart tartan in the early-mid 18th Century and the Black Watch Tartan , c 1789.



Bibliography:
The Clans & Septs and Regiments of the Scottish Highlands, by Frank Adam
The Origins and Development of Military Tartans, by James D Scarlett
The 1819 Key Pattern Book, one hundred original tartans, Peter MacDonald
Index of Military Tartans, www.Regiments.org
Register and Index of Scottish Regiments, www.Regiments.org
Notes on Scottish Military Tartans by William A.Thorburn
Notes on the Tartan of the Highland Light Infantry, by A.N.E.Browne
Summary of the Commonwealth Scottish Regiments by Kim Stacy.

[Alaskan Kilted Guy]

Here is my take, which it seems to echo some of the above sentiments. Do wear the tartan respectfully and with honor. Learn about the Marine Corps and be able to answer some basic questions about it. Don't wear the tartan in a disrespectful manner.

That's my personal feelings as a former Soldier and Airman, grandson of a US Marine, and nephew of a Sailor.

Kilt on!!

[george7]

It wouldn't offend soldiers, as soldiers are not marines (and marines are not soldiers). Wear it.

[Dukeof Kircaldy]

For the Yanks, How many people would know what the Tartan was even if they were Marines or what have you?

As for the Gordon and British Highland services, I used to joke about getting a surplus Scouse (Liverpool) Scottish kilt for a really good Forbes Kilt on the cheap when I was young. Same applies for Gordon, Cameron, etcetera tartan military kilts since it would be recognised more for the Clan tartan than as a serviceman's kilt. Well other than it is pleated to line rather than set. But that's not even a definite since how it is pleated (sett/stripe) is pretty much personal choice, unless it's a military kilt.

Which means, unless you are asked if you were USMC, USA, UNS, USAF, and so on, you won't have an issue. And if asked, say you weren't but you are doing it out of respect.

If it's a British/Commonwealth military kilt, then it is pretty much a clan tartan. Again, no problem.

Actually for the Sett/stripe thing, my "MoD" kilt is only MoD in that it was made by one of the kiltmakers who made them to that standard with surplus Forbes (LS) tartan fabric. The exception is that I had my kilt pleated to the sett. So, it's not really a "military kilt".

[Finn]

DofK~
Thank you very much for that info! I looked up the Gurkha/Childers and love it! Great stuff!

[Dukeof Kircaldy]

DofK~
Thank you very much for that info! I looked up the Gurkha/Childers and love it! Great stuff!

You're welcome.

[thescot]

Scottish Regiments By Tartan:

Atholl or Murray of Atholl – worn by the Atholl Highlanders, the private army of the Duke of Atholl.
Also worn by:
The Transvaal Scottish Regiment in South Africa.(Pipers wear Murray of Tullibardine – the Marquis of Tullibardine is the son of the Duke of Atholl).
The Pipe Bands of Trinity College, Glenalmond, Scotland.
4th S.A. Infantry (South African Scottish)
Scottish Horse, Pipers. . .

Thanks for a wealth of information.

I should also point out that the Atholl Highlanders Pipe Band of Stone Mountain, Georgia, USA, wears the Murray of Atholl tartan as well by arrangement with the Duke.

[thescot]

And, BTW, no one really gives a tinker's dam what tartan you wear. As the Duke of Kirkaldy pointed out, many military tartans were not exclusively military, and none are propriatary.
As a Marine, I'd be just as happy to see you in Leatherneck Tartan (the proper name for it, designed by my fellow Marine, Bob Hall) as I would to see you wear a tee shirt. It's a great tartan.

[Birddog]

My two pence as a Marine vet(still serving, just air force now!)...

Wear it respectfully, and if I see you in it, I will shake your hand. Dishonor the colors, and we will have a chat. While some things military should not be worn by those who have not served, i.e. a green beret for instance, the tartan is not one of them. I like the fact that non-vets want to respect the finest miliary branch in the world.

Birddog

[CelticRanger66]

Yes I agree wear the TARTAN of the finest military branch in the world .....The USARMY !!!!!

OK OK just a little interservice poke....