Answer to Black Watch spat question?

[thescot]

Don't forget the USMC unifrom traditions as well.

1. The red piping on the dress blues commemorate the original Marines who seized red coats from the English and turned them worng-side out. The inside blue lining made for something of a distinctive look.
2. The high collar of the blues is a remnant of the "leather necks" worn to protect the marines from cutlass slashes.
3. The croix on the officers' covers (a little braided cross that many people never see) is a remnant of the markings used to show the sharp shooters in the rigging who not to shoot at once the enemy was engaged. Kind of a "don't shoot me" sign.
4. The blood stripe on the trousers (Marines don't wear "pants;" they wear "trousers") of NCOs and officers commenorates a battle in Mexico (I think) in which an unusually large number of officers and NCOs were killed.

I could go on with Marine lore, but I'm sure the regiments have many similar tales whether factual or not. It makes for good tales to tell the privates.

[rsvpiper]

From memory it's a slight on the regiment they abandoned a position allowing cannon to be captured (in the Crimea) and so where dishonored by having both the spats cut and cap badge removed for 100 years Then like most things in became a Regimental identity/tradition and never reversed