Khaki Kilt Apron

[Curtis Bias]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/WWI-WWII-Sc...MAAOSwsa1bdKHt

Spotted this khaki kilt apron on Ebay today. I thought this might be a place to post this for those interested.
My first impression of these aprons was that they look an awful lot like contemporary utility kilts with the solid color and the pocket up front. I know that these were used in World War I and they began to phase them out around the start of WWII.

Here is an article: http://antiqueoutings.com/kilt-apron...rs-of-ww1-ww2/

It seems that there are two main types. A true kilt apron that only covered the front half of the kilt, and a full wrap around variety with pleats in the back.

I had never seen these before, but you guys may have. I just thought it was interesting.

[Tobus]

We've had some discussions on them in the past, and they're always fun to talk about.

Interestingly, I've never seen any "action" photos of them being worn. What I mean is that I see a lot of old photos of kilted regiments marching, or running into battle, sitting in the trenches ready to fight, or other images of them on the move, but they are not wearing their outer kilt aprons. All the photos I've seen of kilt aprons are ones where they are in camp cleaning their gear, or on display like the ones in the link you provided. I wonder if their primary use was for doing routine tasks like cooking, cleaning, digging trenches, etc., but they were not intended to be worn for fighting.

I'd be interested in seeing more photos, if anyone has them, showing them being worn in any type of action other than camp-based activities.

[Curtis Bias]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/51st_(...1918_Q7012.jpg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/51st_(...1917_Q6278.jpg
I'm seeing some marching photos where they are being worn. One of these photos states that the kilted soldiers of the 51st are firing into German trench positions to flush out any remaining soldiers.

I also see mention online of the aprons being worn to comply with camouflage regulations during WWI. This information was mentioned with regulation numbers etc. on an online forum, but I haven't seen the primary source document. I don't always like to take someone's word as fact, so that is up for debate still. I also don't like using Wikipedia as a reliable source for information, but that is where the photographs came from.

[Curtis Bias]

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/F...1918_Q7014.jpg

https://i.redd.it/twmrrqvaop511.png

http://www.ww2incolor.com/britain/bu...d101i065u.html



https://dumielauxepices.net/wallpaper-810195

https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-19...3d1%26flip%3d0

There are a few photos of dead soldiers in kilts with aprons, but out of respect I won't post those. The wounded soldiers wearing the aprons are convincing enough for me. Of course I see plenty of photos without the aprons in the trenches, and on the battlefield as well. So just like anything else related to combat, the situations can be pretty messed up and all kinds of things can happen.

[Mike S]

What Price Glory also sells reproductions of these for those interested.

[Guthrumironhead]

What Price Glory also sells reproductions of these for those interested.

Soldier of Fortune in the UK has a reproduction as well. I have a WPG and a SOF. The SOF version has the pocket placed lower, closer to where a sporran would be worn. It looks more like the pictures I’ve seen than the WPG, but I’m sure there were variations in the issued models.