Black Watch Pipers

[plaid preacher]

With fear and trepidation I will attempt to recollect what I have been told is the explanation. I'm sure someone will prove me wrong.

My understanding is that, this feature has to do with the history of the 42nd Regiment of Foot. While tartan was not commonly worn in Scotland after the prohibition, the 42nd/Black Watch were allowed to wear it. in good British military tradition, the Black Watch had as part of their establishment, a contingent of fife and drums. When the decision was made to add pipers, they were not included in the regimental scale of issue, and therefore did not receive uniforms from the government. Therefore it was up to the CO to find funds to dress the pipers and so they were dressed in whatever tartan he perferred. The drummers were simply borrowed from the fife and drum corp, which was provisioned for by the crown and therefore they - and the drum major - wear the regimental uniform.

To this day the RROS continues to have a military brass band - successor of sorts to the fife and drums of days of yore. IF you look at the band, you will note that they wear the full dress uniform with the Black Watch tartan kilt; as does the drum major of the pipes and drums.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it! :-)