World War II re-enactor from San Antonio Highland Games

**John_Carrick** · 15th April 13, 12:19 AM

The kilt had been dropped from battledress by the first year of WW2.
John

**Tobus** · 15th April 13, 06:18 AM

I do believe his presentation is about WWI uniform and gear. I haven't actually watched his presentation in a couple of years, but I recall that he pointed out which elements were not technically "period correct".

**seumasFinn** · 26th April 13, 07:09 AM

Interesting. A Fazakerley by the looks of it and a mark(II) not seen during the war. Short puttees which he appears to have tried to wrap like long puttees. Second war ammo boots. As already noted a post war bayonet. '37 Pattern webbing, '37 or '40 pattern blouse, the nicer rather than the austerity version with no fly.

If he were attempting to portray the first war there isn't much in his kit besides the kilt that is appropriate. A No1 MkIII would be a better accessory, even an Ishapore.

**OC Richard** · 2nd June 13, 05:40 PM

The only time I've seen kilts being worn by entire units in WWII was the Gordon Highlanders and Cameron Highlanders in France pre-Dunkirk, and they wore no aprons.

Photos show these Gordon Highlanders in two distinct kits, sometimes seen together in the same photo:

1) kilt, Service Dress jacket, khaki tam o shanter, khaki hose, puttees (no apron or sporran)
2) Battledress jacket & trousers, Glengarry

**Shedlock2000** · 11th November 13, 10:38 PM

I don't suppose this excellent gentleman expressed where he located his hose from? I am looking for a pair in this color as I regularly wear the P40 BD jacket. I have not been able to track down any hose which even come close to the sort of funny browny/olive colour of the BD jackets - yet his are perfect!

I have tried 'What Price Glory', but no luck (thought they have some lovely boots!)

Does anyone have any suggestions? House of cheviot, USA kilts etc. have all come up blank.

Excellent photo of your daughter, and well done to the re-enactors!!

**OC Richard** · 13th November 13, 07:10 AM

Not these?

http://ww2-living-history.com/shopexd.asp?id=3091

I've noticed in WWII photos that the colour of kilt hose varied from regiment to regiment, and varied sometimes in the same regiment between ORs and Sergeants (or senior Sergeants) and Officers.

Thus Officers and senior Sergeants in The Black Watch wore beige hose, not khaki (British sense).

Here you can clearly see different colours worn by the officers of various regiments in the 51st Highland Division, North Africa, WWII

**MacCathmhaoil** · 13th November 13, 07:25 AM

The gas mask screams WWI doesn't it?

**BCAC** · 13th November 13, 07:30 AM

Originally Posted by OC Richard

Not these?

http://ww2-living-history.com/shopexd.asp?id=3091

I've noticed in WWII photos that the colour of kilt hose varied from regiment to regiment, and varied sometimes in the same regiment between ORs and Sergeants (or senior Sergeants) and Officers.

Thus Officers and senior Sergeants in The Black Watch wore beige hose, not khaki (British sense).

Here you can clearly see different colours worn by the officers of various regiments in the 51st Highland Division, North Africa, WWII

They probably had supply problems too, Richard. It was war time, after all.

**OC Richard** · 14th November 13, 07:42 AM

I don't know if it's supply problems, at least with the high-ranking officers in the painting above. Note that Black Watch officers are all wearing beige (khaki in the American sense) hose, while officers of The Seaforth Highlanders and the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders are all wearing Lovat hose. None are wearing khaki (in the British sense, the colour we Americans call Olive Drab).

Another small regimental custom seen in this and in thousands of other photos is the Black Watch wearing lighter-coloured tie-tapes on their puttees. Ordinarily the herringbone woven tape that the puttees are tied with are nearly the same colour as the wool of the puttees themselves, but not in the Black Watch.

Here are the ordinary colours of these puttees. I have a pair exactly like this. This is Pipe Major John MacLellan of The Seaforth Highlanders, WWII

Here in The Black Watch you can see the much lighter shade of the tie-tapes on the ORs' puttees.

Note that the Pipe Major (John McNichol) is wearing the Officers' style hose, beige, and also lighter colour puttees.

**Shedlock2000** · 23rd November 13, 11:51 PM

Great photos and wonderful information. Thank you guys!

OC Richard - I have looked at these - but they do not seem as thick and fluffy as they look in photos I have seen. Has anyone every bought any to know how thick they are? (It gets rather chilly up here in the north, and I do need them to keep warm as I am an everyday wearer!)