Epaulettes and cuff links

[Sir Didymous]

I've been browsing highland attire websites other than my usual selection and found a couple things that I either have never seen before, or simply never noticed. One thing being tartan epaulette covers, and the other being tartan cuff links. Has anyone ever came across these before? Do they have any traditional merit, or are they just another way to sell more tartan? Seems to me that both would be interesting ways to use up tartan scraps. I like the idea of the cuff links, but I'm not so sure on the epaulettes.

[unixken]

I've never seen tartan epaulette covers (they would remind me too much of military shoulder boards), but for every one of my good wool kilts, I bought a matching set of tartan cufflinks made from scraps of the fabric. Even if I don't wear the kilt, they provide a great accent for my nice French-cuffed dress shirts.

[OC Richard]

Do you mean 'rank slides'?

They've long been used in the British army.

These come up on Ebay from time to time, but I don't know if such were ever actually worn in the army



They usually are plain like this



or camo like this



I can't find a decent photo, but the Cameron Highlanders in North Africa in WWII, in shirtsleeve order, often wore slides which had a square of Cameron of Erracht tartan, and the HD badge/patch. It's odd because these sometimes were worn sewn onto the upper sleeve, sometimes worn on a slide on the epaulette, oftentimes seen worn both ways in the same photo.

[Kilted Cole]

I'm not sure on the traditional merit side of the issue... but I do own a sett of tartan cufflinks from the 30's I believe. I bought them because they go well with my Chattan tartan kilt in WoB colors. And I like Cufflinks. Personal taste.

[theborderer]

Rank slides such as illustrated are worn by the British Army when in Shirt Sleeve Order. I can immagine the Pipe Major of either The Highlanders or the now Royal Regiment of Scotland wearing the tartan slides and his rank on a leather band on the right wrist (WO I or WO II)

[unixken]

Re, the "rank slides" (or "shoulder boards"). Yes, that is exactly what I was referring to. In the active duty US Coast Guard, commissioned and warrant officers wear them, and they have gold bars and insignia. In the Auxiliary, they are similar, but with silver bars and insignia.

[EDIT]: I've never seen tartan boards/slides before. That's different. (The USCG and USCGAux's have a field of solid blue.)

[macwilkin]

I can't find a decent photo, but the Cameron Highlanders in North Africa in WWII, in shirtsleeve order, often wore slides which had a square of Cameron of Erracht tartan, and the HD badge/patch. It's odd because these sometimes were worn sewn onto the upper sleeve, sometimes worn on a slide on the epaulette, oftentimes seen worn both ways in the same photo.

I know that picture, although I remember it as a Seaforth Highlander in North Africa. I believe it's in Mike Chappell's Scottish Regiments of the World Wars Osprey book. My copy is at home, so I'll look tonight.

T.