post-1868 use of Black Watch band/music tartan

[OC Richard]

Again based on the campaign medals I think this is 1st Bn.

Both Bns were present in Egypt at the time, 2nd Bn was awarded one campaign bar to the Egypt Campaign Medal, and 1st Bn was awarded three. When zooming in on the picture, it looks like the seated man on the far left has three campaign bars, same the man laying down (on the left).

That's the strange thing, because the 1st Battalion was the former 42nd Foot which pipers we know by 1865 were wearing Royal Stewart (being a Royal regiment) while the 2nd Battalion was the former 73rd Foot which, if they had pipers, would almost certainly be wearing the Black Watch tartan.

Here's going out on a limb: Let's say that the 73rd Foot didn't have a Pipes & Drums. But in 1881, becoming 2nd Battalion Black Watch, they're now authorised to do.

To create a 2nd Battalion Pipes & Drums a number of pipers from 1st Battalion are transferred to 2nd Battalion as a cadre.

Thus former 1st Battalion men with three campaign bars are founding members of the 2nd Battalion's Pipes & Drums.

(Well it's a theory anyhow...)