Red hackle history

[Woodsheal]

You need to check out your understandings of Regiments & Battalions

Well, it's my understanding that the 43rd/42d/"Black Watch" was a regiment throughout its history, until recently (2006) when it became the 3rd Battalion of the Royal Scottish Reg't. Where am I going wrong...?

Brian

-ex US Army CPT (Field Artillery), with an MA in History (specializing in military history! I've probably known the difference between battalions and regiments since I was about 9 years old...!)

[slohairt]

Definitely sounds like a myth to me. Dipping your white hackle in the blood of your slain comrades would result in a brown hackle pretty quickly! (It would probably be smelly and attract flies too.)

Someone should write a book about all the myths that exist concerning Highland garb and such. We certainly hear about enough of them here on XMTS.!

[O'Callaghan]

Our band wears orange, white and green hackles with green t-shirts and 'flower of Scotland' tartan kilts. Please don't tell the kilt police that we're down here in Florida.

Back to your point, that sounds like a myth. It might represent blood, but I doubt even the most proud Scotsman would want to walk around smelling like his dead comrade.

You do realise those are Irish flag hackles? I suppose that may be your point, though, Irish hackles with a Scottish tartan, but what is wrong with that for an American pipeband?

[kiltedmapleleaf]

You need to check out your understandings of Regiments & Battalions

More importantly it lead to the Black Watch being the only unit not to wear a capbadge, in certain dress, as everyone would be able to recognise them by their hackle.

and also the RHF, although they wore a tartan patch as well as their white hackle

[george7]

You do realise those are Irish flag hackles? I suppose that may be your point, though, Irish hackles with a Scottish tartan, but what is wrong with that for an American pipeband?

That was my point exactly. That and mixing ghillie brogues with tshirts.


And about white hackles... anybody tried keeping anything white in a combat zone?

[O'Callaghan]

That was my point exactly. That and mixing ghillie brogues with tshirts.


And about white hackles... anybody tried keeping anything white in a combat zone?

The Irish had bagpipes before the Scots (of course, the highland Scotii came there from Ireland anyway) but bagpipes were banned in Ireland by the Statute of Kilkenny in 1356, and only reintroduced by the Gaelic Athletic Association after it was founded in 1883. I'd say that it was highly appropriate for a pipeband in America to wear symbols of both countries.

As for T-shirts with ghillie brogues, I suppose it's a matter of outfitting the band with a uniform, and T-shirts are much cheaper than doublets, for example, and more appropriate for Florida weather.

[Spc. Scott]

anybody tried keeping anything white in a combat zone?

As for the combat zone I saw, unless it was sealed in plastic before I arrived and unopened until after I left it would have been impossible. ith:

[mcvarmit]

i kinda like the myth.
semper fi
slick

[Nervous Jock]

Definitely sounds like a myth to me. Dipping your white hackle in the blood of your slain comrades would result in a brown hackle pretty quickly! (It would probably be smelly and attract flies too.)

but true as its the reason fusiliers hackle is half red half white

[Nervous Jock]

Well, it's my understanding that the 43rd/72/"Black Watch" was a Regiment throughout its history, until recently (2006) when it became the 3rd Battalion of The Royal Regiment of Scotland . Where am I going wrong...?

Brian

You American's never really did get the Regimental System did you

Having amended the obvious the 1st Bn The Black Watch, became 3 Bn The Royal Regiment of Scotland.

I suppose a lot of it depends on how you view the formation of the new Regiment, if it was seen as an amalgamation or if you saw the Old Battalions being disbanded. but its really a political dodge to try to keep as many folk on side as possible.

The current SCOTS Bns kept the names to maintain the golden thread. I doubt they will last much past the next defence review when a battalion gets chopped as clearly it should be 5 SCOTS to keep the numbering tidy once every one starts getting transferred around to it will be come less important, i give it 20 years tops.

That being said a Regiment could never be a Battalion, it can be represented by a Battalion which is another thing. A Battalion is quantifiable a Regiment is not. likewise perhaps the question is are the soldiers Black Watch soldiers and part of that Regimental family or are they RRS Soldiers and part of that family? Can they be both. If a 3 SCOTS soldier is posted to 1 SCOTS does that make him a Royal Scots Borderer??