Highland Regiments trivia thread.

[jimintoronto]

Hello.

A introduction.

As a young man I served with the 48th Highlanders of Canada, in the early 1970's.

First stood up in 1891, the 48th have served Canada for 124 years. About 65,000 Canadians have served in the Regiment over the years. Affiliated with the Gordon's, the 48th wear the Davidson in the ranks, NCM's and Officers. The pipers wear Stewart of Fingask, the drummers wear Davidson.

The 50 Battle Honours of the 48th Highlanders of Canada are as follows.

link. http://www.48highlanders.com/01_02.html

I have been reading military history for about 50 years now, and in particular Canadian and British history and oddities.

With that in mind, I though that the members might like to try their hand at some trivia bits.

Here are a few to begin with.

The oldest continuously serving Regiment in the British Army is ?

Guards Regiments can be identified, while in full dress, by what distinctive feature on their tunic's ?

Highland Regiments that wear a "feather bonnet "....... What bird do the feathers come from ?

Eleven Victoria Crosses, won before lunch. What battle, what unit, what era ?

What is a pace stick, and who carries one ?

Answer any or all, as you please.

Jim B.

[plaid preacher]

Hi Jim, and welcome aboard. Nothing like kicking the hornet's nest on the first post, eh?

Here are some answer to your questions.....

The oldest continuously serving Regiment in the British Army is ?
According to the MOD website the regiments of the household cavalry are the oldest units...although somewhere in the back of my mind I wanted to say the Coldstream Guards. This is the thorny one, as often modern regiments were formed out of other units... and therefore have a longer history than their name betrays. I'm not sure if that is afoot with the Household Cavalry vs Coldstream Guards, or not. And, of course, the navy is traditionally seen as the senior service in both Canada and GB.


Guards Regiments can be identified, while in full dress, by what distinctive feature on their tunic's ?
The Guards Regiments have distinctive collar dogs (ie Thistle for Scots Guards and Shamrock for the Irish etc) and also button configuration varies from Regiment to Regiment. There may be others...but these are the ones I look for.

Highland Regiments that wear a "feather bonnet "....... What bird do the feathers come from ?
I believe traditionally ostrich.

Eleven Victoria Crosses, won before lunch. What battle, what unit, what era ?

What is a pace stick, and who carries one ?
The pace stick is carried by the RSM, and is used to lay out the parade square before the regiment goes on parade. The stick opens and can be adjusted for different length of pace. If you are out early enough any time a regiment is on parade, you will see the RSM laying out where markers should be located on either side of the dias to indicate where the compliment should be paid...among other things. Here is a video showing how it's done https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1aM-wzu_bE ...from the World Pace Stick Competition ... who knew???
Answer any or all, as you please.

Jim B.[/QUOTE]

[jimintoronto]

Thank you for taking up the challenge......

Dating from 1650, The Coldstream Guards, in continual service. Some times , as a joke, called "Pontius Pilot's body guard ".

Guards identifier. Buttons and their arrangement. Single, doubles, triples and fours. Points to you for "collar dogs ".

Feather bonnets. Ostrich is correct. The one that I was issued by the QM stores of the 48th was made in 1911, according to the label inside it. The carrying case was a metal flour tin, from Eatons' department stores, Toronto. At that time it was about 50 years old.

Pace stick. Very well done. The RSM's pace stick in my old Regiment dates from 1910, and has been handed down to each new RSM over the years. Originally made by Wilkinson's , with silver fittings by Birks Jewellers of Toronto. Upon retirement, of the RSM, an exact copy is presented by the Officer's mess to the retiree.

So, the one about 11 VC's still stands.

In connection with that question............Who were the "Die Hards " and no its not a type of automotive battery ( grin ). Name of the unit, please.

Why does the colour guard at the trooping of the colour ceremony include the youngest Subaltern, and the second most senior NCM in the Battalion ?

Who were the Pioneers, in a British Infantry Battalion ? What did they do, and what was one of their "marks of distinction " ?

Jim b.

[ShaunMaxwell]

I noticed that plaid preacher skipped one, so I'll answer that one for him...

The 11 Victoria Crosses were won at the Battle of Rorke's Drift, during the Anglo-Zulu War (also known as the Zulu War), fought in 1879 between the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom.

[jimintoronto]

Shaun Maxwell.

Correct, Rorke's Drift . Has been covered as a film ( first feature role for Michael Caine ) and a number of books, as well. The sound track for ZULU was one of the best musical scores of that era. Stirring stuff.

So, what was the Unit that was involved there ? They were the Die Hards, by the way.

A new one.......What British Army brigade is made up of non British Mercenaries, even today, in 2015 ? They have pipe bands, too. They sign a 21 year contract of service. One of their members recently won the V.C.

Jim B.

[Tarheel]

The 11 Victoria Crosses were won at the Battle of Rorke's Drift, during the Anglo-Zulu War (also known as the Zulu War), fought in 1879 between the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom.

To add to Shaun's post, here is a great exert from another thread, "Men of Harlech" where a recreation of before the battle occurred. Movies and the internet have everything (if you believe in such myths.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NuTaQsMNaE

[Laird O'the Cowcaddens]

Not sure I agree with the oldest Regt answer, I believe it to be The Royal Scots(1st Bn RRS) also known as Caesar's bodyguard. I believe the answer to the Mercenary question is the Gurkha.

[plaid preacher]

Jim, somewhere along the line I missed that it was a test! Although, I did wonder how someone who had served with a venerable regiment such as the 48th would not have known some of the answers. I was a reservist in LFWA and LFCA in the 1980s/90s, and am friends with a former padre to the 48th as well as the current Drum Major, and have been honoured to know some of the "old guard".

I'm still a little at a lost as to why the MOD website lists the Household Cavalry as the oldest regiments. I'll leave that bit of trivia for you to answer.

There's nothing better than watching an RSM moving across the parade square with his pace stick.

[figheadair]

Shaun Maxwell.

Correct, Rorke's Drift . Has been covered as a film ( first feature role for Michael Caine ) and a number of books, as well. The sound track for ZULU was one of the best musical scores of that era. Stirring stuff.

So, what was the Unit that was involved there ? They were the Die Hards, by the way.

A new one.......What British Army brigade is made up of non British Mercenaries, even today, in 2015 ? They have pipe bands, too. They sign a 21 year contract of service. One of their members recently won the V.C.

Jim B.

The VC question is not quite that simple. Yes, eleven were won of which; seven bythe 2nd Battalion, 24th (2nd Warwickshire) Regiment of Foot, one by the doctor (Army Medical Department), one by a Royal Engineer, one recipient was a member of the Commissariat and Transport Department and one was awarded to a member of the Natal Native Contingent.

Brigade of Gurkhas

Double VC winners; now there's an interesting story. Two of the three double VC winners were from amongst the 27 VCs awarded to medics.

[jimintoronto]

Well done, that man....

11 V.C.'s.... Not all were 2/24th foot, to be sure.

Gurkhas, correct , again. The only one of the "hill tribes " that the British Army could not pacify, so they hired them as mercenaries, instead. Not normally posted in the UK, but they have mounted guard at Buckingham Place on a number of occasions, in the past.

Now about Pioneers, and their "marks of distinction " ?

And a slightly different one.........Why don't Royal Artillery units have colours ?

Jim B.