WW2 Australian Army kilt apron

[OC Richard]

I think the aprons (or covers) were first devised and issued for the Boer War





And they help create the classic image of the WWI Highland Soldier









As far as I know kilts weren't worn in combat in WWII, though there are plenty of photos of pipers, bandsmen, and men on guard duty outside various headquarters etc in France 1944 wearing kilts. I've not seen a WWII photo showing the aprons, I don't think.

[OC Richard]

That's interesting. This photo shows a "Victorian Scottish Battalion" with the full aprons:

Attachment 25336

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/158628/

I see the photo was taken in training camp in 1940. I'll guess that the kilts and pith helmets didn't make it to active service abroad.

[Bruce Scott]

I see the photo was taken in training camp in 1940. I'll guess that the kilts and pith helmets didn't make it to active service abroad.

No, Australia has never deployed a kilted unit to overseas active service.

From Federation in 1901 until the end of hostilities in WWII the Australian Army was made up of a Staff Corps (officers), an Administrative and Instructional Corps (mainly WO instructors and Quartermaster/Adjutants - often previously WOs), Coastal Artillery Batteries and units of the Citizen's Military Force (CMF, generally known as the Militia). The Defence Act of 1903 restricted the Militia to service in Australia and its Territories. For overseas service in WWi and WWII a separate Australian Imperial Force (AIF) was raised. No AIF unit had any sort of Territorial title such the the Victorian Scottish or Queensland Mounted Infantry and uniform was strictly uniform with the exception of identifying unit/formation colour patches and the emu plumes of the Light Horse.

The 5th Victorian Scottish volunteered for overseas active service and was transferred to the AIF but did not deploy abroad. Photographs of them parading through Perth in 1943 show them in shorts, including the band, and the standard digger hat.


The 'Home Service' restriction did not keep Militia units out of WWII as Papua New Guinea and Bougainville were then Australian Trust Territories and the first Australians to meet the Japanese on the Kokoda Track were two Militia battalions that had been performing garrison duties in Port Moresby.

[auteurusa]

Okay, would you guys explain to me the difference between a "half apron" and a "full" wrap around apron, please ?

And, did I understand correctly that this is an un-pleated kilt that is/was intended to cover a fully pleated kilt ?

I find these photos a bit of synchronicity as I just bought five yards of khaki poly/cotton twill with which to make another Xkilt.

Thanks for the posting.

[tundramanq]

I've seen pictures of the full kilt apron with a few wide pleats running the opposite direction, running the same direction and some totally un-pleated... No idea what was correct, where.
The opposite direction makes sense as the under and over pleats will not try to interlock. Suspect the un-pleated variant was intended for pants and got recruited for kilted use.

[OC Richard]

As you can see in the photos, covers were made both with front panel only, and with a front and back.

The front panels are unpleated and usually have a pocket. The rear panels I've seen have pleats.

There of course would be variations, for example Canadian, Scottish, Australian, and New Zealand ones might all be slightly different, I'm no expert on this.

What Price Glory sells reproductions for $38

https://onlinemilitaria.net/products/1735-Kilt-Apron/

Here is the back of one of the What Price Glory reproductions, you can see the pleating style



Here you can see the rear of one of these covers (original, not WPG) being worn

[tundramanq]

Thanks OC, I forgot about this reverse-K variant at "What Price Glory". Box at center back and then "forward" pointing knife pleats extending around the sides. I explains why I have seen pleats both ways. The rarity of vintage "pleat shots" online means I only have 1/4 front shots generally to research with.

I am currently looking for spec sheets knowing that most military clothing items are very well documented ( in triplicate ) for the makers.

[OC Richard]

With Highland battalions it might be the case that each battalion had their aprons made expressly for themselves, and could vary like their spats do, and/or they could have been produced by a large number of contractors showing all sorts of variation.

[tundramanq]

With Highland battalions it might be the case that each battalion had their aprons made expressly for themselves, and could vary like their spats do, and/or they could have been produced by a large number of contractors showing all sorts of variation.

I didn't think of this relative independence of the Highland Battalions. Here in the US the central Army command would create a 50 page spec sheet for a roll of toilet paper. Every Army roll shalt be the same regardless of who the contractor was that made it. And probably Army green.

[OC Richard]

I have a book about the British "battledress" and though there were specific specs there was still quite a bit of variety of manufacture during WWII, so variation in these aprons/covers wouldn't surprise me.

I had read, somewhere, years ago, that the original Boer War covers only had the front panel, and that the WWI covers went all around. As we can see in the photos above this was not necessarily the case, due a number of WWI photos showing front-only covers.