Seaforth Highlanders WW2 Sporrans

[OC Richard]

I'm not sure what you mean by "dress" brown leather sporran. They were worn with the Battle Dress tunic.

Sometimes, especially prior to the war, one sees the World War One style Service Dress tunic, the dressiest kit since Full Dress was withdrawn in 1914, worn with the Full Dress long horsehair sporran, diced or tartan hosetops, and white spats.

Back to Battle Dress, here's the Pipe Major of the Seaforth Highlanders (Scotland) in WWII.

He's wearing the ordinary Seaforth pattern, a plain brown leather sporran with plain flap. The sporran badge is actually one of the two collar badges worn by the post-1881 Seaforth Highlanders. (After the 1881 amalgamation they issued both collar-badges to all members of both battalions.) It's the elephant collar badge.

I do believe that in some regiments only officers and pipers wore brown leather "day" sporrans. After all, kilts wouldn't ordinarily be worn on active service, though pipers and officers sometimes appear in them, and sometimes guards would be posted at headquarters in kilts.
I think the Seaforths only had this one pattern. However I've seen WWII photos of officers of various units wearing civilian brown leather Day sporrans (bottom photos). I suppose officers, purchasing their own kit, could wear what they wanted.



Here's an example showing the hidden popper closure and the badge. The sporran is dark brown, which people often mistake for black.



Here, to left, the Pipe Major of the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada, in WWII.

He's wearing an ordinary sporran, no badge, the same style made and worn for civilian use.



He's wearing one like at left below. Both are dark brown, often mistaken for black.