Canada's Highland Regiments

[macwilkin]

I do reading something about the original Canadian Scottish Regiments having Kilts made out of khaki wool normally used in tunics and trews because of a lack of Tartan available but I can't find any substantiation for this.

Check out Chappell's "Canadian Army at War" for a depiction of the 73rd CEF's khaki tartan kilts & glengarries, Plate C.

T.

[BoldHighlander]

Check out Chappell's "Canadian Army at War" for a depiction of the 73rd CEF's khaki tartan kilts & glengarries, Plate C.

T.

You know, I hate to cite wikipedia unless I can verify their information, however I thought I'd go ahead & post the following with the caveat that wiki is the source for this posting (& is unverified as of this time):

16th (Canadian Scottish) Battalion, CEF

The matter of the adoption of a single tartan for the Battalion’s kilts had been a contentious issue that had remained unresolved during the 16th‘s training at Camp Valcartier. The matter was again addressed while the unit was encamped on Salisbury Plain. The officers met on 21 December 1914 to vote on the proposal that a khaki kilt be adopted. After much heated discussion the proposal was carried with twenty-one votes for and seven against. The khaki kilts would not reach the 16th Battalion until June 1915 and were received with such despair and contempt by the Battalion that the entire issue of khaki kilts was withdrawn. The matter of a single tartan for the Battalion remained unresolved until well into 1917 when the entire Battalion was outfitted in kilts of the Mackenzie tartan.

The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada - Wikipedia

[BoldHighlander]

I was just conducting a search & found this on the Great War Forum regarding khaki kilts:

The Khaki Kilt, aka "Kilt Serge Drab Mixture", was introduced in 1914 with pattern number 8159/1914, pattern sealing date unrecorded however it would be mid Dec 1914. The first contract (C/1481) was issued on 21/1/1915. An improved pattern 8391/1914 was introduced on 28/5/1915 and the existing contract modified. The Priced Vocabulary published in July 1915 lists this item as being in inventory at the cost of 16s6d.

Yes, the purpose of this kilt was to clothe highland units authorized the Kilt on an emergency basis. However, its primary function was to clothe Canadian units arriving in England with Kilts. As all Kilts supplied to Canadian units came from Scottish manufacturers, even before the war, the Kilt manufacturers could not keep up with demand so this was established as an expedience. Tartan Kilts had priority to British (Scottish units). Few, non Canadian Highland units received these kilts. I know of no units being deployed so equipped, however my research is far from complete in this area.

I hope it helps.

[BoldHighlander]

[BoldHighlander]

[BoldHighlander]

I apologize in advance for the quality (or lack thereof) of the old newspaper photos.
However, I felt some might find them of interest.



I believe this photo depicts the band marching in Holland:

[BoldHighlander]

1946







--Honored By The King--

Lieut.-Colonel Frederick Sparks (left), Lieut.-Colonel Lawrence Henderson (centre), and Lieut.-Colonel Donald Forbes (right):



North Nova Scotia Highlanders Band