Kilted Soldier Print

[Highland Logan]

Yes, I kept going back to my books on the Highlanders of this period (including the excellent two part series "Sons of the Mountains" by Ian Macpherson McCulloch) and while I'd agree that every thing else about the uniform is correct, that the lace upon the regimental coat looks wrong, if the lace is in fact not rectangular (as the 78th wore).
It could be a distortion of the photo but I'd almost swear it looks pointed on the end, like that of the 42nd & 77th of the period. However I could be wrong, and will wait for a better quality picture.

Here is a link with some photos on the 78th Frasers. I agree that the photo may not pass muster on the "real" 78th, but artists sometimes add flair to their work, as I have added below.

That really is an excellent print. It is reminiscent of the Dewars White Label prints done by Schenley's in the late 1930s and early 40s as a promotional item. These prints depicted officers from various regiments of HM's forces in full or walking out dress. There were five sets of prints, each depicting six different regiments. In 1942 you could have ordered all five sets for the princely sum of $1.25! And that included postage. I hope you have a nice place to hang you highlander.

We have had similar prints done in Canada for our Highland regts, and they are as fanciful as the McIan prints, and just as accurate.



"In the 1950s, the Hiram Walker & Sons Distillery in Ontario produced a series of colour plates depicting officers of Canadian Highland Regiments. The prints are today collector's items, and are notable in some cases for being more fanciful than truthful. The print depicting an officer of The Calgary Highlanders, however, does give an interpretation of what the most advanced state of Ceremonial Dress for the Regiment would be if it decided to make such uniforms a priority. The scarlet jacket (or "redcoat") was the standard field dress of the British Army from the late 1600s to the early days of the 20th Century, and continues to be the idealized ceremonial dress uniform of Commonwealth infantry regiments (excepting Rifle Regiments). Many items depicted in the Hiram Walker prints are actually worn today by officers, including the sword ("claymore"), kilt, badger head sporran, red/white hose, sword belt, officers' shoulder sash, tartan plaid, and brooch. Scarlet jackets and feather bonnets, however, are only worn by drummers of The Calgary Highlanders, and the fullest expression of ceremonial dress has never been achieved. The reintroduction of distinctive Service Dress uniforms (the Distinctive Environment Uniform, or DEU) in the late 1980s has provided the Canadian Forces with a distinctive "Army" uniform that is both practical and economical, while still allowing the major components of "Highland Dress" to be worn with pride." - From the Calgary Highlander website


Frank