Red hackle history

[beloitpiper]

My pipe band wears red hackles (feathers) in our glengarries. A guy in the band said that red hackles come from the tradition of soldiers dipping their white hackles in their fallen comrade's blood in honor of them. Is this true, or more "Highland myth". The guys in the pipe band also thought kilts were worn by Wallace, so I take everything they say with a grain of salt.

[Woodsheal]

There's a little blurb at the bottom of this page:
http://www.theblackwatch.co.uk/index/1745-1800

Apparently the red hackle is supposed to be exclusive to the Black Watch regiment (now battalion)....

[McClef]

Apparently the red hackle is supposed to be exclusive to the Black Watch regiment (now battalion)....

So exclusive that their online shop sells them for 99p + postage....

[macwilkin]

So exclusive that their online shop sells them for 99p + postage....

Please, let's not go there again Trefor.

Regardless of whether the kit shop sells them, it's still an important regimental symbol.

Regards,

Todd

[Woodsheal]

So exclusive that their online shop sells them for 99p + postage....

True, but I don't think I'd put one on my hat and go strolling near their barracks...!

[Nervous Jock]

Apparently the red hackle is supposed to be exclusive to the Black Watch regiment (now battalion)....

You need to check out your understandings of Regiments & Battalions

More importantly it lead to the Black Watch being the only unit not to wear a capbadge, in certain dress, as everyone would be able to recognise them by their hackle.

[Woodsheal]

You need to check out your understandings of Regiments & Battalions

Well, it's my understanding that the 43rd/42d/"Black Watch" was a regiment throughout its history, until recently (2006) when it became the 3rd Battalion of the Royal Scottish Reg't. Where am I going wrong...?

Brian

-ex US Army CPT (Field Artillery), with an MA in History (specializing in military history! I've probably known the difference between battalions and regiments since I was about 9 years old...!)

[slohairt]

Definitely sounds like a myth to me. Dipping your white hackle in the blood of your slain comrades would result in a brown hackle pretty quickly! (It would probably be smelly and attract flies too.)

Someone should write a book about all the myths that exist concerning Highland garb and such. We certainly hear about enough of them here on XMTS.!

[Nervous Jock]

Definitely sounds like a myth to me. Dipping your white hackle in the blood of your slain comrades would result in a brown hackle pretty quickly! (It would probably be smelly and attract flies too.)

but true as its the reason fusiliers hackle is half red half white

[Nervous Jock]

Well, it's my understanding that the 43rd/72/"Black Watch" was a Regiment throughout its history, until recently (2006) when it became the 3rd Battalion of The Royal Regiment of Scotland . Where am I going wrong...?

Brian

You American's never really did get the Regimental System did you

Having amended the obvious the 1st Bn The Black Watch, became 3 Bn The Royal Regiment of Scotland.

I suppose a lot of it depends on how you view the formation of the new Regiment, if it was seen as an amalgamation or if you saw the Old Battalions being disbanded. but its really a political dodge to try to keep as many folk on side as possible.

The current SCOTS Bns kept the names to maintain the golden thread. I doubt they will last much past the next defence review when a battalion gets chopped as clearly it should be 5 SCOTS to keep the numbering tidy once every one starts getting transferred around to it will be come less important, i give it 20 years tops.

That being said a Regiment could never be a Battalion, it can be represented by a Battalion which is another thing. A Battalion is quantifiable a Regiment is not. likewise perhaps the question is are the soldiers Black Watch soldiers and part of that Regimental family or are they RRS Soldiers and part of that family? Can they be both. If a 3 SCOTS soldier is posted to 1 SCOTS does that make him a Royal Scots Borderer??