exceptions to tradition: the Queen

[Nighthawk]

The American President Eisenhower was once asked if he considered himself a Texan (he was born there), even though he was raised in Kansas -- Ike replied:

"If a cat has kittens in the oven, do you call 'em biscuits?"



T.

I like Ike! (Yes, that was a purposeful play on words!)

[Micric]

Mike,

Sgian dubh?..........tradition...must draw blood before being sheathed ? :-)
Kukri in my sock? :-) :-)

[BobsYourUncle]

Fun thread!

[Mike_Oettle]

While it has been said on these forums in several places that there is no such tradition as the requirement that a sgian dubh must draw blood before it is re-sheathed, I was told a story many years ago about my commanding officer that led me to believe (at the time) that it was true.
I did not have the opportunity to ascertain what my commanding officer actually did or believed about the practice, but a chap I knew told me that he had met the officer in question and, on being shown the sgian dubh, was told that it had to draw blood, and that his (my informant’s) thumb had been pricked by the tip of the sgian.
I should mention also that the officer in question (his rank was commandant, since the South African Army had at the time done away with lieutenant-colonels) was not himself a Scot. He was a South African-born Lebanese, a devout Roman Catholic who had married a Roman Catholic lady of Scottish extraction. He was well respected as a businessman (he ran a car dealership) and as a soldier.
In fact, another story told about him was that he had run away during the war to join the regiment (First City), which was in camp in the Eastern Transvaal at the time. As a pupil at St Andrew’s College he was known to the men in the regiment (officers and other ranks), who knew he was only 16, and arranged for him to return to school.
After the war he did join the regiment, and went to England for two years on an exchange programme with the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment. He rose to the rank of sergeant before being sent on a course to qualify as a commissioned officer.
So clearly he was a seasoned soldier before becoming the OC, and familiar with British military tradition, but at the same time without direct experience of Scottish kilted regimental usage.
However, since I did not discuss the incident of the sgian with him on the few occasions that I was in his company socially, I cannot verify it.
Nonetheless, he could have been convinced that it was a genuine tradition.
I similarly did not discuss with him the tradition of not wearing underwear with the kilt, nor any possible exceptions to it.
Not sure whether this clears anything up at all, but there it is.
Regards,
Mike

[Mike_Oettle]

Nighthawk wrote: “If you were take a French poodle and put a German collar on it, would it all of a sudden become a German shepherd?”

Of course it would not become a German shepherd. But bearing in mind that the poodle is actually a German breed, it might emphasise the fact that the dog in question was not in fact French.

[xena]

Well, there's a lot of opinion about military traditions without much fact.

FACT: Male soldiers of Highland or Kilted Regiments entitled to wear the kilt in uniform, do so without underwear. The gender of the monarch on the throne has exactly no bearing on this matter. It's as simple as that. Directions from the Adjutant and Regimental Sergeant Major make that quite clear, even if certain written dress regulations avoid the issue. Female soldiers of Highland or Kilted Regiments entitled to wear the kilt do so with underwear for obvious hygiene reasons.

What some Regiments did, or didn't, do while in the trenches in WWI, or what someone may have done when it was really cold, has nothing to do with the actual dress regulations. What soldiers wear, or don't wear, when they're tactical doesn't change the garrison and parade square rules. It's great history, but it changes nothing about the dress code.

FACT: There is exactly no rule saying that a Sgian Dubh has to draw blood before it can be re-sheathed. That's just a silly story that keeps circulating to try and keep young Squaddies from being stupid and waving their wee knives around.

For the record, I did indeed serve in a Highland Regiment.

[Mike_Oettle]

Thank you, Xena, for putting matters into perspective.
Not having worn a sgian dubh in uniform (they were only issued to officers), this is a matter on which I had no official instruction.
And the information about lice in the trenches confirms for me information I had concerning the disadvantages of trousers when these pesky critters are about. Kilts rule!
Regards,
Mike

[JerseyLawyer]

Xena, you can certainly correct me if I'm wrong here, but isn't it also true that exceptions exist if one is involved in activities - such as dancing, athletics, or marching with a band - that might commonly show too much?

[xena]

Xena, you can certainly correct me if I'm wrong here, but isn't it also true that exceptions exist if one is involved in activities - such as dancing, athletics, or marching with a band - that might commonly show too much?

As I understand it, all the dancing and athletic organizations actually do require underwear on their contestants.

But, as far as military regulations go - absolutely not. No exceptions. If a uniformed soldier is performing highland dancing, or tossing a caber, well, you just may be getting more than you bargained for.

[CDNSushi]

I like the one quote from the Snopes site:

His father William West, a retired major in the Gordon Highlanders, said: "We are bound by the Official Secrets Act so we can't say what's under the kilt.

I'm going to have to use that the next time I get asked "the question."

"What do you have under the kilt?"

"I'm sorry, ma'am. I am bound by the Official Secrets Act and it would be unlawful for me to reveal that information. It's a state secret."

Heh...