Highland Regiments trivia thread.

[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.

[figheadair]

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 " ? Beards

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

Jim B.

And one for you... Which is the oldest surviving piece of military tartan and which regiment wore it?

[The Q]

Well done, that man....

.

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.


Jim B.

Not entirely true anymore, with the hand back of Hong Kong and the reduction in military manpower, The Gurkhas are down to two battalions one of which is still overseas in Brunei but the other is at Shorncliffe in Kent UK, either of these Battalions are deployed overseas when required.

Since they have now won the right to settle in the UK after their service and have equal pay and rights to British servicemen, the penny pinchers in Whitehall no longer see them as a cheap source of manpower. Those that settle in UK are also not bringing much needed income back to Nepal, limiting their Political Usefulness, putting the future of this great regiment in doubt should there be further manpower cuts..

[jimintoronto]

Figheadair.

I am stumped on the question " oldest surviving tartan and what Regiment " ?

Any one else have an idea ?

Jim B.

[Downunder Kilt]

Figheadair.

I am stumped on the question " oldest surviving tartan and what Regiment " ?

Any one else have an idea ?

Jim B.

Actualy Peter made it easy for us. He has wrtten a paper on it

http://www.scottishtartans.co.uk/64t...ers_Tartan.pdf

[Orvis]

I don't believe anybody has taken up the trivia challenge about pioneers' marks of distinction, so I'll try that one.

In the British Army, each regiment of foot had a squad of pioneers to act as basic military engineers - cut down obstacles, etc, ahead of the regiments movements. They originated in the 18th century, I think. Then, their marks of distinction were a bibbed leather apron and a pioneer "cap" (similar to a grenadier cap, but much shorter and with a distinctive front-plate), as well as the axes, saws and shovels they carried (in addition to their muskets, bayonets and cartridge boxes). In the 19th c., pioneers continued to wear leather aprons and carry their tools, and were distinguished by being allowed to wear beards, in addition carrying their other distinct accoutrements - enlisted men in the Army were not then allowed chin hair, although their sideburns and moustaches were sometimes almost indistinguishable.

I have seen Canada's Fort Henry Guard (portraying British soldiers of 1867) perform, and they have a couple of pioneers who appear on parade. They carry axes at the slope and perform the manual exercise with them - present arms, port arms, order arms - in a very distinctive manner.

I cannot remember when pioneers were removed from regimental establishments, and it may be that some regiments still have ceremonial pioneers on parade as a remembrance. Perhaps one of you British Army experts can ellucidate me...

[plaid preacher]

I don't believe anybody has taken up the trivia challenge about pioneers' marks of distinction, so I'll try that one.

In the British Army, each regiment of foot had a squad of pioneers to act as basic military engineers - cut down obstacles, etc, ahead of the regiments movements. They originated in the 18th century, I think. Then, their marks of distinction were a bibbed leather apron and a pioneer "cap" (similar to a grenadier cap, but much shorter and with a distinctive front-plate), as well as the axes, saws and shovels they carried (in addition to their muskets, bayonets and cartridge boxes). In the 19th c., pioneers continued to wear leather aprons and carry their tools, and were distinguished by being allowed to wear beards, in addition carrying their other distinct accoutrements - enlisted men in the Army were not then allowed chin hair, although their sideburns and moustaches were sometimes almost indistinguishable.

I have seen Canada's Fort Henry Guard (portraying British soldiers of 1867) perform, and they have a couple of pioneers who appear on parade. They carry axes at the slope and perform the manual exercise with them - present arms, port arms, order arms - in a very distinctive manner.

I cannot remember when pioneers were removed from regimental establishments, and it may be that some regiments still have ceremonial pioneers on parade as a remembrance. Perhaps one of you British Army experts can ellucidate me...

Actually, Orvis, the battalions of the Canadian Forces still maintain a platoon of pioneers. While they don't carry axes, save for while on full- dress parade, they are still trained in construction and destruction, and play an integral role in the unit; and still are the only infanteers allowed to have a beard without a medical chit.

[Steve Ashton]

As this is a general trivia thread and not about kilts specifically I think moving it to the Misc. forum where the other games are makes sense.

[Dale-of-Cedars]

We had a retired Pioneer [correction - Frontiersman] assisting with training at our engineers cadet corps in the 1970s, wonderful man with beard and waxed moustache. I do remember his dress uniform had chain-mail epaulettes.

[Steve Ashton]

The Frontiersmen also wear chain mail epaulets.