Colonel in a Highland Regiment

**Nathan** · 3rd July 13, 01:17 PM

Originally Posted by xman

Nathan, your inbox is full.

Thanks for the heads up, brother. It is no longer full.

**OC Richard** · 4th July 13, 04:47 AM

Hopefully not to muddy the waters too much, but all the pipers of The Cameron Highlanders have always worn a single eagle's feather.

This was continued by the pipers of the Queens Own Highlanders, and later the pipers of The Highlanders

In this case it has nothing to do with being a member of a clan, or an officer, or a gentleman... it's just part of the kit.

**Downunder Kilt** · 4th July 13, 04:10 PM

Nathan, I am catching up on posts after being way, and would like to thank you for the newspaper article you linked to. It is the first time I have seen an opinion on the validity of wearing of feathers by those who do not hold a position within the clan itself but within the clan society, presumedly an elected postion. Cheers and thanks

**Nathan** · 5th July 13, 01:06 PM

Originally Posted by Downunder Kilt

Nathan, I am catching up on posts after being way, and would like to thank you for the newspaper article you linked to. It is the first time I have seen an opinion on the validity of wearing of feathers by those who do not hold a position within the clan itself but within the clan society, presumedly an elected postion. Cheers and thanks

Glad you liked it, although I should say that I've found plenty of ink spilled with the contrary opinion that this is inappropriate and I think it's safe to say that the more narrow view is by far the more common understanding of the etiquette. Aristrocrats. What are you gonna do?

**OC Richard** · 17th July 13, 05:52 AM

I was looking through the book Scottish Units in The World Wars by Mike Chappell and came across an illustration of

Lieutenant Colonel 5th Seaforth Highlanders 1914

and his cap badge has FOUR feathers on it! Not actual feathers but silver feathers built into the cap badge.

The captions states:

"The figure illustrates a lieutenant-colonel of the 5th (Sutherland and Caithness) Battalion of The Seaforth Highlanders in field uniform. This Territorial unit wore the Sutherland tartan instead of the Seaforth MacKenzie tartan, and had a distinctive bonnet badge behind which the officers of various ranks wore different numbers of silver feathers, in this case four."

Now Mike Chappell is nearly always bang-on, but it is merely an illustration by him. I would like to see a photograph of one of these feathered cap badges being worn in WWI.

**SlackerDrummer** · 17th July 13, 11:27 AM

Originally Posted by figheadair

I've never heard of it and I was one. But then again, I don't wear a bonnet unless it rains and I certainly woudn't wear eagle feathers which are a post-Culloden adoption/affectation.

But isn't all traditional highland attire a post-Culloden adoption?

**OC Richard** · 18th July 13, 04:23 AM

Originally Posted by SlackerDrummer

But isn't all traditional highland attire a post-Culloden adoption?

One often hears it said that Highland Dress as it has come down to us is a "Victorian invention". To one person who said that, and who for "evidence" posted a photo of a piper in Full Dress, I responded by taking the entire kit, item by item, and showing that every item was being worn prior to Queen Victoria taking the throne.

About the Culloden cutoff date, note that blue bonnets, small kilts, sporrans, and hose were all worn pre-Culloden and all are still commonly worn today. In fact as you follow kilt fashion from the 18th century to the 20th century the distinctive Highland features evolve much more slowly than the shirt, neckwear, and jacket styles do, the latter tending to follow ordinary European fashion of the period.

Soldiers of The Black Watch c1960

Soldiers of The Black Watch 1739 (pre-Culloden)

What hasn't changed: blue bonnets with red touries, Black Watch tartan kilts (small kilts were known and worn pre-Culloden), leather sporrans, diced hose, buckled shoes (in some orders of dress). What has changed: style of jacket, addition of spats (in some orders of dress).

**O'Callaghan** · 19th July 13, 02:09 PM

It may come from the fact that highland regiments were originally raised by chieftains or chiefs, who were then given the rank of colonel. I am skeptical of it working in reverse, so to speak.

**Nathan** · 19th July 13, 02:26 PM

I have found it quoted online frequently that according to the Lord Lyon, a regular clanswoman should wear her tartan sash on one shoulder whist the wives of chieftains and Colonels of Scottish Regiments could wear it on the other. There was also an exception for Royal Scottish Country Dancers. Couldn't find it on the Lord Lyon's website however.