12,000 Scottish Boy Scouts in kilts; Glasgow 1928

**jhockin** · 16th May 14, 06:37 PM

**Benning Boy** · 16th May 14, 07:03 PM

It always intrigues me to see scouts and scouters in kilts and American style campaign hats, what some would call hats with a Montana peak, or a lemon squeezer. It's not a bad look. I always think of the guys who fret over the legality of wearing a flat cap with a kilt when I see it. Can someone relate the history of it?

**Matty Ross** · 16th May 14, 07:59 PM

It always intrigues me to see scouts and scouters in kilts and American style campaign hats

Actually They are "British Style campaign hats". American style if you were looking down on them the pattern is a + British looks like an x

**Matty Ross** · 16th May 14, 08:09 PM

Hats.jpg
Baden-Powell is wearing the British style and the one on the left is American

**Sean D** · 16th May 14, 08:29 PM

The Campaign hat is actually the correct historically correct form of headdress for Scouts and Scout leaders , my sons are both currently in scouts and while the beret has replaced the campaign hat, that is what their leaders wear , as Lord Baden-Powell was British it makes sense that it would indeed be a British campaign hat so those scouts are not just mixing hats and kilts that is the correct uniform whether Scottish or British scouts

**Benning Boy** · 16th May 14, 09:16 PM

That's interesting info, Matty. Seen many pictures of such hats and never noticed the difference. Shows what kind of scout I am.

Since my earlier post I wondered, an American named Burnham made a name for himself as an adventurer and a scout in the military sense here, and then went on to scout for the British in ZA. He worked with Baden-Powell. Just wondering, could he have introduced what I think of as an American style of bashing a hat to Baden-Powell who then introduced it to his Boy Scouts, or was it a case of divergent evolution? I wonder.

**McMurdo** · 16th May 14, 09:22 PM

Okay here is another excuse to post this photo of my dad in his Scout uniform circa 1950 Aberdeen

**Sean D** · 16th May 14, 10:03 PM

Benning , Baden Powell served with the British Army and came to South Africa during the Anglo- Boer War if my knowledge is correct he was in Mafeking at the time of the Seige of Mafeking , the British campaign hat was in use by the Army scouts who were to my knowledge a Recon and Observer Unit if correct he was captured by the Boers and served as PoW during this time the idea of Boy Scouts first came to him then when he was released he decided to form the Boy Scout Movement , with the first trial camp held at Brownsea Island , he decided on a practical uniform one which had the "look" of a military unit , ie was smart and which could inspire pride , however did not appear to be too martial , he introduced the wearing of scarves and campaign hats to be practical as well as the campaign hat served him well in South Africa and was ideal for protection , the scarf was to create identity but also useful for practicality ie like a triangle bandage if needed. And of course Khaki shirts still the official uniform of the World Scout Movement ( the Boy part was dropped)