Argyle sutherland kit

[Fireboykirk]

Howdy all, I'm trying to find an accurate kit list for the Argyle Sutherland Highlanders circa 1914-1915. I've found many wonderful stories and photos on this forum, but I can't seem to locate a full uniform list. I'm looking for as much accuracy as possible for an OR stepping out kit, and/or pipers kit. Thanks all.

[Tarheel]

Patience. Someone will find the link or info on the regulations for the kit. Just like the US Army regs, there out there somewhere.

[Fireboykirk]

Thanks Tarheel. That's what I'm hoping.

[OC Richard]

Just for accuracy's sake I should point out that the title is the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders. ("Argyle" is a both a type of sweater, and a type of sock, in the USA. "Argyll" is a place in Scotland.)

The uniform is fairly straightforward, because Full Dress was abolished at the start of WWI. So the basic uniform for walking out in 1914 is

-Glengarry. Extremely dark blue, often mistaken for black. For the Argylls this has a red & white diced border (except for pipers, who like all military pipers wear plain Glengarries). Regimental badge in 'white metal' (what we would call nickel silver, or German Silver). As the war progressed one began to see the Glengarry less and less, as it was replaced by a large khaki bonnet, or Tam O Shanter.

-Service Dress tunic. This is the colour the British army calls 'khaki' but the US army calls 'olive drab', in heavy wool. There was a special Scottish pattern which is cut away for the sporran, but it was very common for kilted battalions to be issued the ordinary English pattern, cut straight across the bottom.

-kilt. For Other Ranks this would be in the same heavy (22oz) rather blanket-like tartan worn by the Other Ranks in the Black Watch, however the Argylls kilts are boxpleated. Grass-green herringbone binding around the top, black metal two-prong buckles, no fringe, with a very high 'rise' (total length 27 inches).

-sporran: for Other Ranks black horsehair with six white tassels, the 'swinging six'. Tassels in brass cones. Brass rim at top of sporran with black leather liner or gasket. No sporran badge. In combat, and as the war progressed for walking out, the kilt was worn without sporrran.

-waistbelt. One usually sees a khaki canvas one.

-hosetops: red & white diced.

-flashes: plain scarlet (no loop)

-spats: khaki canvas. Later in the war spats became more or less extinct and short puttees were worn both for walking out and combat.


Pipers' kit: The same save for pipers often wore the black leather waistbelt with 'white metal' buckle, from the old Full Dress uniform, and sometimes the crossbelt too, and dirk, and horsehair sporran. The pipers' sporran was completely different, grey hair with three long black tassels, white metal cones, and white metal cantle. Pipers' hosetops are red & black diced, and of course a plain dark blue Glengarry is worn.
I'm not at my home computer so I might not be able to post photos now, but photos are to come!

OK here's the kit of a different battalion, however it well shows the full range of uniform worn in 1908, prior to the abolishment of Full Dress. You can see the Service Dress tunic worn with khaki spats, canvas web equipment, and kilt apron. After 1914 this kit had to serve for Walking Out also, though without the apron.



Here is the Walking Out kit for the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders (Other Ranks, non-piper) prior to the abolition of Full Dress. However in Service Dress the same Glengarry, sporran, and footwear could be worn



Here is an Argyll in Walking Out dress, with the khaki wool Service Dress jacket which was the only jacket for parade, walking out, and active service once Full Dress was abolished. Beware that this photo has been colourised incorrectly, in that the black hair of the sporran has been shown as brown. I've seen, handled, and owned a number of original Argylls sporrans from various periods (late 19th century up till recent) and the hair is black, not brown. Also the rim and cones are brass, not white metal as shown here. See the nice closeup photo I posted below showing the actual colouring of an Argylls sporran. Another quibble is that the red of the hosetops, flashes, and Glengarry should be a bright clear scarlet, not a dull red.



Here's an Argyll of the same period showing the wearing of the English pattern Service Dress jacket (quite common) and the khaki canvas apron worn on active service. The Glengarry, diced hosetops, and spats remain



this curious photo shows a puzzling variety of dress. In any case the second soldier from the left appears to be an Argyll. You can see his English pattern Service Dress tunic has been modified to somewhat resemble the Scottish pattern. You can also see the short puttees which replaced the khaki spats, and the khaki hose which replaced the diced hose for active service.

[westy1970]

Here is a good copy of the jacket and What Price Glory may have some of the other items you are looking for.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/UK-Khaki-Dri...item2c88eaea5d

It may be worth shooting Jerry an email about what you are looking for. This is from his ebay store, but he has them in his regular store, also.

[georgeetta]

go straight to the ..argylls site .

or Canadian ..Toronto ..fellow regt

th
d

[westy1970]

Found the sporrans from the same guy
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Scottish-ARG...item2ec231f0df

[WillowEstate]

Here are a few links you might find of interest:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/146845...ol-kiltedlife/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/146845...ol-kiltedlife/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/146845...ol-kiltedlife/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/146845...ol-kiltedlife/

They are all photos of WW I soldiers, posted by a member of that forum with the screen name of "thardy1". Since it's a public forum, I guess there is no problem looking at them but if you want to copy/repost any of them, check with the poster for copyright permission.

These examples aren't specific to the A&S but if you scroll down the first one, you'll see the poster contributes to a number of fora, one of which is for WW I, which may help you in your researches.

[OC Richard]

Home now!

Here's the Other Ranks (non-piper) sporran, black hair, white tassels, brass cones and rim



Here's the pipers' sporran. This pattern appears to have been worn from 1881 up until recently.



As far as pipers go, here's a piper of the 93rd Highlanders taken in India probably in the third quarter of the 19th century. This well represents the kit worn up until Full Dress was abolished in 1914



Here is a modern Argylls piper. This photo will help to visualise the colours which would have been present in the photo above (the jacket is a very dark green, the Glengarry a very dark blue). As you can see a RRS cap badge is now worn, the doublet now lacks most of its piping, the shells and dirk belt buckle are a different pattern, and the shape of the sporran cantle has changed a bit, but most of the costume has remained the same



The Pipe Major and certain other senior NCOs wore a completely different sporran. Here's the Pipe Major of the 93rd (which would become the A&SH in 1881)



Here's a piper from the Gordons in the WWI era showing how the Glengarry, crossbelt, dirk belt, dirk, sporran, diced hosetops, and flashes from the old Full Dress uniform were often all worn with the khaki wool Service Dress jacket. Switch out these various items for the Argylls pattern (seen in the photos of the Argylls pipers above) and you would have the appearance of an Argylls piper of the WWI era (sorry I haven't been able to find a nice photo like this of an Argylls piper)

[OC Richard]

go straight to the ..argylls site .

or Canadian ..Toronto ..fellow regt

th
d

One has to be careful, if trying to research the uniform of a Scottish regiment, not to confuse their uniform with that of a Dominions regiment which might have a similar (though not identical) uniform. (For example the Calgary Highlanders.)

Likewise one must take care not to confuse the current/recent uniform with that of the period in question (in the OP's case, 1915).

If one is, say, doing reenacting then specificity is important: which rank? which mode of dress? what year? what 'trade' (piper, pioneer) ?