Scottish Regiment/Tartan Identification (Picture)

[BobsYourUncle]

@DougH : Your best bet would be to use your g.great uncle's name, and look up his service records. Some of that you can do on line. That will tell you his regiment, which should answer questions about the kit depicted in the photo. Let us know what you find ! Cheers,

[DougH]

@DougH : Your best bet would be to use your g.great uncle's name, and look up his service records. Some of that you can do on line. That will tell you his regiment, which should answer questions about the kit depicted in the photo. Let us know what you find ! Cheers,

Thank you for your advice, I do agree that would be easiest. But as noted in the original post, I have not been able to track down paper records of his service yet. The only evidence of his service that I currently have is this picture, and his son's recollection that his father served in the war. This attempt to determine his regiment by identifying his tartan was supposed to be an assist in finding his records. Most of the family served in the navy, so I don't even have family traditions to help.

[BobsYourUncle]

Here's where to start: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/...rst-world-war/

and here: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/...rst-world-war/

more here: http://www.greatwar.co.uk/research/m...ce-records.htm

also: http://www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazi...d-war-soldiers

and: https://www.fold3.com/title/937/brit...ervice-records

and: https://www.iwm.org.uk/research/trac...ervice-records

[Agincourt]

Thank you for your advice, I do agree that would be easiest. But as noted in the original post, I have not been able to track down paper records of his service yet. The only evidence of his service that I currently have is this picture, and his son's recollection that his father served in the war. This attempt to determine his regiment by identifying his tartan was supposed to be an assist in finding his records. Most of the family served in the navy, so I don't even have family traditions to help.

It's now mid September and there is no update so I will attribute this to the OP either finding out what he needed or else hit a brick wall.

I do officer/OR's reasearch all the time, so PM me if you're still stuck. However if you wish to, kindly have ready your great uncle's FULL, MIDDLE LAST NAME, what town, village or parish he came from in Scotland. Please no perhaps and maybes, it doesn't and only helps to muddy the waters further. Just what you know solidly.

Looking at the photo this soldier is either Gordon Highlander, Black Watch or A&SH. The Gordons had a yellow stripe in their sett but in BW photos it never showed like here.

Best of luck.

[blackwatch70]

The shoulder titles could help. Is it possible to get more detailed picture of shoulder titles?

[AbernethyCameron]

If the OP knows where the soldier lived it would help, recruitment into Scottish infantry regiments was (mostly) based on where a recruit was from. For example it'd be unusual then to find a Gordon Highlander not from the north east, or a Black Watch soldier not from Fife, Perthshire, Dundee or Angus. If you were where I'm from, Stirlingshire, 99% chance if you were recruited into infantry you'd join the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.

[imrichmond]

I looked for that too, as the Black Watch cap badge is large and hard to miss, but I was reading a wiki article on the history of the red hackle in that regiment, and when it was granted it was worn in lieu of the capbadge on the tam'o'shanter. That may have changed by WW1, but the presence of a hackle and the absence of the capbadge may be indicative of him being in the Black Watch (unless there are other regiments that did the same, and we can't see the colour of the hackle.)

I don't think what you are looking at is a hackle. For one thing, it's on the wrong side of the hat. For another, it would be impossible to make a hackle stand upright if it were attached to the floppy side of the tam o' shanter. It looks to me like a mark on the wall.

[DougH]

It's now mid September and there is no update so I will attribute this to the OP either finding out what he needed or else hit a brick wall.

I do officer/OR's reasearch all the time, so PM me if you're still stuck. However if you wish to, kindly have ready your great uncle's FULL, MIDDLE LAST NAME, what town, village or parish he came from in Scotland. Please no perhaps and maybes, it doesn't and only helps to muddy the waters further. Just what you know solidly.

Looking at the photo this soldier is either Gordon Highlander, Black Watch or A&SH. The Gordons had a yellow stripe in their sett but in BW photos it never showed like here.

Best of luck.

Unfortunately it is more of a brick wall situation, that and regaining employment. I may yet prevail upon your services, thank you for your generous offer.

If the OP knows where the soldier lived it would help, recruitment into Scottish infantry regiments was (mostly) based on where a recruit was from. For example it'd be unusual then to find a Gordon Highlander not from the north east, or a Black Watch soldier not from Fife, Perthshire, Dundee or Angus. If you were where I'm from, Stirlingshire, 99% chance if you were recruited into infantry you'd join the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.

He lived in the Kirkcaldy area, though I have not found a parish birth record for him (location based upon parents records and siblings), only record of his marriage (Edinburgh), and children (Kinghorn).