Red Hackle

**McClef** · 12th July 10, 01:41 PM

Ref my above comment here is a photo someone took.

A slight breeze shows that the kilt wasn't regimental weight but you can see the hackle.

**Cygnus** · 12th July 10, 01:48 PM

Originally Posted by rtc872

Unfortunately my Great-uncle died a couple years back without me ever having met him. I mean the tenacity of the man. If he could live to a hundred he could have waited until I got to Scotland to visit him. ;)

He and his brother both served in the blackwatch but his brother died in Italy. My Pop (Australian for grandfather) was fortunate enough to serve as a driver for a general in Scotland for most of the war.

I can add though that in the letter that came with the hackle and badge he wrote "wear then proud son"

Can I lastly add that one of the bands I played with wore the red hackle but with a clan badge. I wonder if bands have a dispensation.

Thank you all for your advice.

While your Uncle has given you his blessing in wearing the hackle and badge, if put in your place, I wouldn't wear either to risk losing or damaging them - that is quite the story and is a part of your Uncle's legacy and your heritage.

Again, that is what I would do in your place. What you do is entirely your business!

**rtc872** · 12th July 10, 02:03 PM

Originally Posted by Cygnus

While your Uncle has given you his blessing in wearing the hackle and badge, if put in your place, I wouldn't wear either to risk losing or damaging them - that is quite the story and is a part of your Uncle's legacy and your heritage.

Again, that is what I would do in your place. What you do is entirely your business!

I think this is a good point. I might start working at finding a way to display them instead.

once again thanks all

**BobsYourUncle** · 12th July 10, 02:21 PM

Originally Posted by rtc872

Unfortunately my Great-uncle died a couple years back without me ever having met him. I mean the tenacity of the man. If he could live to a hundred he could have waited until I got to Scotland to visit him. ;)

He and his brother both served in the blackwatch but his brother died in Italy. My Pop (Australian for grandfather) was fortunate enough to serve as a driver for a general in Scotland for most of the war.

I can add though that in the letter that came with the hackle and badge he wrote "wear then proud son"

Can I lastly add that one of the bands I played with wore the red hackle but with a clan badge. I wonder if bands have a dispensation.

Thank you all for your advice.

It appears that you may qualify as a member of the Regimental Family. You may wish to write to the Lt Col commanding to ask permission to wear the Red Hackle, in order to honor your family members who served. You may wish to provide the documentation to which you refer. You may find that permission will be gladly granted.

A point of clarification. You say in your OP that you are interested in wearing the Red Hackle whilst piping. You should be aware that the Red Hackle ONLY was worn in the TOS [tam o'shanter, or khaki balmoral]--no cap badge, as you can see from some of the photos in other responding posts. In some orders of dress, pipers wore the TOS, onto which ONLY the Red Hackle was affixed. PIPERs only wore a plain black glengarry with the cap badge ONLY [no red hackle] affixed to the black grosgrain rosette. Officers and other ranks wore a glengarry with red and black dicing, again with no red hackle, cap badge only on the glengarry.

Here's a simple guide for the era in which your family served:

TOS: Red Hackle ONLY
Glengarry: Cap Badge ONLY

As others have noted, this practice changed with the amalgamation of the regiments into the Royal Regiment of Scotland in 2006. In the RRS, the orders of dress were made more uniform between the various Scottish regiments, such that the color of the hackle is the only way of distinguishing them in many of the current orders of dress.

Here is an illustrative photo of a piper wearing ONLY the cap badge in his glengarry:

Hope this helps. Write to the regiment. They may be happy you did. Cheers!

**rsvpiper** · 12th July 10, 02:21 PM

It's worth a note that the Watch have now got their own non regimental tartan The Red Hackle Tartan (House of edger)http://www.houseofedgar.com/acatalog...le_Tartan.html now along with this you can buy th red hackle however they do ask that out of respect to the unit none unit members refrain from wearing the Hackle

Down to you mate...... Keep em safe put em in a display case

**macwilkin** · 12th July 10, 02:27 PM

Originally Posted by rtc872

I think this is a good point. I might start working at finding a way to display them instead.

once again thanks all

Something such as this would be very appropriate:

http://www.bradsmedalmounting.com/shadowboxes.html

T.

**rtc872** · 12th July 10, 04:09 PM

Originally Posted by cajunscot

Something such as this would be very appropriate:

http://www.bradsmedalmounting.com/shadowboxes.html

T.

I'm getting visions of something like that with a blackwatch tartan swatch at the back and the hackle and badge sitting side by side.

It would be such a waste to wear these things.

Thanks

**Woot22** · 12th July 10, 04:57 PM

Originally Posted by rtc872

I'm getting visions of something like that with a blackwatch tartan swatch at the back and the hackle and badge sitting side by side.

It would be such a waste to wear these things.

Thanks

Sounds like a great idea. I love seeing people put military shadow boxes on display in their homes. Either showing respect to a family member or medals they themselves earned shadow boxes are the way to go.

**macwilkin** · 12th July 10, 05:18 PM

Originally Posted by rtc872

I'm getting visions of something like that with a blackwatch tartan swatch at the back and the hackle and badge sitting side by side.

It would be such a waste to wear these things.

Thanks

Originally Posted by Woot22

Sounds like a great idea. I love seeing people put military shadow boxes on display in their homes. Either showing respect to a family member or medals they themselves earned shadow boxes are the way to go.

If you don't mind sending them to Canada, I highly recommend Brad's work. I plan on sending a National Park Service shoulder patch, badge and a picture of yours truly in uniform to him for a shadow box display. He does great work on medal mounting as well.

T.

**Woot22** · 12th July 10, 05:24 PM

Originally Posted by cajunscot

If you don't mind sending them to Canada, I highly recommend Brad's work. I plan on sending a National Park Service shoulder patch, badge and a picture of yours truly in uniform to him for a shadow box display. He does great work on medal mounting as well.

T.

At the risk of hijacking the post for just a sec, do you know if US Army medals can be mounted in a shadow box in the style shown on his website? That looks great how the ribbon of the medal continues down behind the medal itself. I have never seen anyone around here mount medals that way.