New KIlt

[plaid preacher]

Many moons ago I attended a tattoo at Old Fort Henry in Ontario... the Axe Man in that group wore a white apron... my guess would be to keep the blood spilled from staining the uniform....

Has nothing to do with blood, however. Pioneers in infantry regiments are like combat engineers; cutting trees to build bridges -this the axe- and building things up (in the modern context). Like cymbal players in military bands wear protective aprons so that they do not mar their uniforms with their instruments, the apron was to protect the uniform from the rough work of carrying trees about.