3rd Btn, Black Watch Regt -- OLD pic.

**AJBryant** · 24th March 13, 03:56 PM

I don't know the date of this, but this pic popped up in a thread of "awesome images" in another forum I'm on, and I thought I should share.

It is, as I recall, members of the 3rd battalion of the Black Watch. Check out those bonnets!

**sailortats** · 24th March 13, 04:12 PM

Great pic. I hope one of our historians can tell us more.

**rsvpiper** · 24th March 13, 11:10 PM

Originally Posted by yodofizzy

That is a pretty interesting picture. I noted the lack of sporrans on all except the man on the far right. Based on the chevrons on his sleeve, I'm asduming that he is some sort of officer??

Thanks for the picture.

No he's either the Pipe or Drum Major

**OC Richard** · 25th March 13, 04:25 AM

Yes I believe I see the embroidered pipes above the chevrons, so he's the Pipe Major.

It doesn't show all that well, but he's wearing a Royal Stewart kilt with Royal Stewart ribbons/bows. Pipers of The Black Watch wear Royal Stewart, not the tartan of the rest of the regiment.

I used to have one of those jackets (made in the 1920s) and one of those Tams (the one I had was made in Canada in the 1940s and said "Buffalo Cap" on the inside). I was very skinny back then and I could wear ex-Army things. And I had an extremely heavy ex-Army kilt (22oz wool).

Yes you'll see old photos of soldiers wearing no sporrans, or wearing the canvas gas mask case as a sporran, or wearing plain brown leather sporrans. What's interesting is how often you'll see Highland soldiers wearing the non-Highland style of jacket with the kilt, as you can see above (the guy sitting beside the Pipe Major). Sometimes you'll see the corners of the non-Highland jacket turned up to sort of resemble the Highland style (presumably sewn or pinned).

**Dale-of-Cedars** · 25th March 13, 05:05 AM

Seems to be the senior NCOs, Sergeants, Staff Sergeant, and the Sergeant-Major (with the swagger-stick and the crown on his sleeve in the middle of the lower row.) My guess would be close behind the lines in France, at a temporary NCO's Mess, as it looks like they've pulled a mismatched set of chairs out into the mud for the photo.

**AJBryant** · 25th March 13, 10:11 AM

Thanks for the background, Richard!

I was wondering if, in fact, these fellows *were* wearing non-Scottish–cut jackets pinned up (that one next to the pipe major is clearly wearing something longer).

I must admit that I get a bit of a kick out of using a gas mask and case as a sporran. It sure makes them handy.

**TheOfficialBren** · 25th March 13, 10:24 AM

Great photo, great thread.

AJBryant, I occasionally wear an ex-military pouch of roughly sporran-size on a web belt for super casual kilting, i.e. hiking.

**dakuda** · 25th March 13, 10:27 AM

Appears the sergeant major has Boer War ribbons, a least 2 of the members in the front row have " wound stripes".

**OC Richard** · 25th March 13, 05:22 PM

I wonder what that aiguillette or cord that the Pipe Major is wearing is.

Photos like that bring to mind this one, a very intriguing one, which rewards close study

**Downunder Kilt** · 25th March 13, 06:32 PM

From the belts on the men in the OP's photo, the picture was taken during or after WW1. Both style of belts worn, the webbing ones and the leather "snake clasp" ones were WW1 issue, though I believe the leather ones were part of officers Sam Browne rigs. Of course a good scrounger could get his hands onh most bits of kilt if he wanted something.