I came across a book entitled ‘Last Man Standing – The Memoirs of a Seaforth Highlander during the Great War’ which might be of interest to others here.

It is edited by Richard van Emden from the diaries and letters kept by Norman Collins (1897 – 1998) during his time in the British Army from 1914. Although he lived in North East England, he signed up (under aged) for a Scottish regiment so that he would be further away from his parents and more difficult for them to get him back and because he liked the idea of being in a kilted regiment.

The book is well written and illustrated with photographs – despite it being forbidden for troops to take cameras with them on training or duty. It also includes lists of uniform items and prices – for which officers were expected to pay. The kilt cost £4/4/0 (£4.20 or $8.40) which was double that of a pair of tartan trews and 3 ½ times that of a pair of khaki trousers. No wonder the government tried, in both World Wars, to stop the Scottish regiments from wearing kilts on the grounds that they used too much material and time which would be better used elsewhere for the war effort.

Details are available at www.pen-and-sword.co.uk