Royal Canadian Navy Tartan

[davidlpope]

The Tartan House contacted us, the STA, to see if this was official. We have no note of this under that name but have it as the Black Douglas.

So, red overcheck in place of white overheck = "Black Douglas"?

[figheadair]

So, red overcheck in place of white overheck = "Black Douglas"?

Assuming that the dark shade is black and not DB then yes - http://www.tartansauthority.com/tart...las-black-clan

[JohntheBiker]

As one of four generations of Canadian naval reservists, I searched long and hard to find an RCN tartan, without success. As Steve sugests, there may well be privately registered tartans that call themselves "RCN Tartan", but frankly I don't think that can seriously be considered a representative tartan available to current and former members of the RCN. Funnily enough, there isn't an RCN equivalent of the regimental tie either.

[MacInLaw]

I've also noted the lack of distinctive, official RCN tartan. It's especially odd in light of the RCAF tartan. I seem to recall a story that there was considerable personal investment by a senior Air Force officer years ago to make that tartan a reality. I suppose it would require the same type of personal investment from a respected sailor to make an official RCN tartan. That said, I would love to see it!

[imrichmond]

Despite the lack of a dedicated tartan, bagpipes have long had a presence in the Canadian navy. Apparently, there was even an official Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve pipe band in St. John, New Brunswick during WWII. They wore regular naval uniforms rather than highland dress. This band was a forerunner of the present Simonds Lions Caledonia Pipe Band based in St. John. The present band wears the Royal Stewart tartan.

As a UNTD (University Naval Training Division) officer cadet (midshipman) back in the early 1960s, I was the duty piper for the UNTD during summer training at Cornwallis, Nova Scotia and used to pipe my fellow cadets to divisions on the parade square every morning and to church on Sundays. I did this in my regular naval uniform but wearing the duty white belt and gaiters except on Sundays. During my sea training, I was detailed by the ship's CO to pipe the ship in and out of harbour. On this duty, I piped on the frigate's forward 3-inch gun deck while my fellow cadets lined the ship's rails. On one occasion, when a contingent of UNTD cadets was sent to compete in the track and field events at the Antigonish highland games, I piped the contingent through the town in the traditional parade to the games field. Although our officers were attired in various bits of borrowed highland dress for this event, I and an accompanying drummer were in naval uniform with white belts and gaiters.

[Hugh Ledger]

I know of one tartan that has been designed and submitted to the Naval dress comittee in Ottawa. It has run into some nay sayers. But the Base Chief CPO1 Spinelli is very in favour of it and is trying his best to get it approved.