Canadian Army Regimental Tartans...

[Chris]

I'm still looking for a real surplus Canadian Highland Regiment kilt in my size.

Cheers,
Chris

[Blu (Ontario)]

Since this thread on the subject of regimental tartans has come again, I thought I'd take the oportunity to ask a rather dumb question. The majority of the regimental tartans seem to be "clan" tartans instead of a design specifically for that particular regiment. Is there a reason for that? Does that fact tend to "generisize" those tartans? Hunting Stewart has been worn as an open tartan for some time... what about Davidson or Mackenzie for example? Just curious...

[macwilkin]

Usually a clan tartan was chosen as a military tartan because a prominent member of that clan (the Chief or another member of the aristocracy) were associated with the regiment.

So, for example, the Earl of Leven, a Leslie, was responsible for raising the King's Own Scottish Borderers, so in the 19th century, the regiment adopted in the Leslie tartan in honour of him.

The Earl of Seaforth, a Mackenzie, likewise did the same for the Seaforth Highlanders (now part of the Highlanders Regiment), so the Mackenzie tartan was adopted.

The Sikh Regiment of the Indian Army wears the Rattray tartan in honour of a member of that clan who responsible for forming the first British Sikh Regiment after the Sikh Wars of the 1840's.

http://www.clanrattray.org/sikhregiment.html

Whitehall was never in favour of all of these tartans, mostly due to the cost factors...as early as the beginning of the 19th century, there was a move to adopt the "universal" or government sett as the tartan for all Scottish regiments, or even to abolish the wearing of the kilt entirely, which was met by protest -- see Col. Alan Cameron's letter:

http://www.cabarfeidh.com/kilt.htm

Secretary of State for War Hugh Childers tried a similar measure in the late 19th century, to have all of the regiments adopt one tartan -- the so-called "MacChilders" tartan, but it was never accepted:

http://www.btinternet.com/~james.mckay/disp_020.htm

I don't necessarily feel that because a regiment uses a certain tartan makes it an "open" or "universal" tartan like the Stewart Hunting. The tartan is being worn by the regiment in honour of someone, who has usually given permission for the regiment to do so. And, the tartan then becomes part of a military uniform for a regiment, which is a whole other ball of wax...

But, if someone admires one of those regiments, or had a relative serve in one, then why not? I would write the Chief or the Clan society first, but most Chiefs and Societies are delighted to hear of someone "showing the colours". (That's just what I would do -- I am not saying anyone else has to do so!) :mrgreen:

Just my two bob's worth...

Cheers,

T.