What do you think?

[Bruce Scott]

These are senior NCOs and a warrant officer from 4 SCOTS, The Highlanders:



Apologies for the size of the photo. I spotted it on the 4 SCOTS Facebook page and don't have the know-how to reduce it : https://www.facebook.com/4scots/

[OC Richard]

I think they should get sporran straps. It must get tiring, holding up your sporran all day

My only observation is that the low-kilt thing seems to be creeping into the army, that last bastion of tradition. There's not as much knee with most of these fellows as one used to see.

About reducing image size, I use this site:

http://picresize.com/

Another advantage is that you can save photos in various formats as jpegs, which I prefer.

[Liam]

I agree with OCR regarding the kilt length. It is odd to see men holding their sporrans at the correct height. Perhaps sporran hangers would help. It also appears that all of them are wearing pre-tied bow ties.

[figheadair]

I agree with OCR regarding the kilt length. It is odd to see men holding their sporrans at the correct height. Perhaps sporran hangers would help. It also appears that all of them are wearing pre-tied bow ties.

I'd like to say that that wouldn't happen in the Officers' Mess but sadly even there standards have fallen.

And as for knee length hose 😨

[Taskr]

I think the WO has seen a heck of a lot more service than the Sgts

Is the hands behind sporran pose a Regimental thing?

[Macman]

Our band drum major (an ex-brigade sergeant major) would have their b**** for breakfast!

[Nomad]

I think the WO ahs seen a heck of a lot more service than the Sgts

Is the hands behind sporran pose a Regimental thing?

Can't be sure, but looks like he has Northern Ireland, Kosovo, Bosnia, Long service, possibly queens jubilee, the others probably aren't old enough to have them. The others tend to have Iraq, Afghanistan type medals, which he also has. Also, the British army are tight and give you a tiny little number to denote number of tours in one theatre, we all lose them, I certainly did, if memory serves me right you get a different bar after 5 tours, again tight British army😀

The would be my best guess, can't quite see from photograph.

[MacCathmhaoil]

Another victim of the cuts to military funding is apparently the budget for mirrors!
What caught my eye, aside from what has already been identified, was the range in height of the diced hose! One looks as if he is wearing thigh-highs, others favour the "to the knee" look and a couple seem a tad low. NCO's were at one time the "enforcers" of dress regulations, now it seems maybe not so much.....

[48HofC]

I think the WO ahs seen a heck of a lot more service than the Sgts

Is the hands behind sporran pose a Regimental thing?

The pose is descended from the Gordons through to the 1st Battalion, The Highlanders, now to The Highlanders 4 SCOTS. As for how the kilt and hose are worn, times change in the military as in civilian life. The primary focus is on combat readiness ( 4 Scots are just off deployment) not so much on ceremonies these days and standards ebb and flow.

[OC Richard]

The fellow 2nd from left is wearing his kilt and hose in the old way, seems to me.

I know this is merely a painting, but it is indicative of the old way:



Here's Pipe Major Evan MacRae of The Cameron Highlanders in the 1950s showing the old way, plenty of knee showing