Old photo

[Orlaith17]

Really hoping someone with knowledge of military history can shed some light on this one. The original pic is in a large domed class frame, so I was sent just a photo of it by mobile phone. The man in the pic looks like my dad, but though another relative says it is him, my mum doesn't think so, and I agree with her. Dad's only military service was his National Service in the 1950's, and he was with the Royal Artillery. I think this looks older.Can anyone identify the uniform, or give any idea of an era for this pic?

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[Currie]

Hello Orlaith,

I’m not much of an expert on military uniforms but I’ll have a go.

What he’s wearing is pretty basic military stuff, nothing fancy, so I don’t think there’s any question of just dressing up.

The picture is hand coloured, and hopefully the tartan was actually based on green rather than just something out of the colourist’s head. The tartan and the sporran are about all there is that could be used to identify the regiment.

My first impression was that it was WW1, the uniform jacket looking too early to be WW2, but maybe also between the wars. He’s not wearing any medal ribbons and presumably, if he was entitled to campaign medals, it was before they were issued just after the war. I think that by about the beginning of WW2 Scottish regiments had stopped wearing kilts as part of their usual service dress.

The background looks really artificial, and amateurish, and I don’t know what it could be meant to represent. It’s not up to the standard of a photographers portable or studio backdrop. It’s almost as if the real background has been painted out. The sporran looks like its been added later.

My guess would be Seaforth Highlanders, the tartan and the tassels etc on the sporran seem to be about right but I can’t make out the badge on the cantle. Then again, maybe he’s a Gordon Highlander.

I’m confused too,
Alan

[Orlaith17]

Hi Alan, and thanks for your efforts. I agree the sporran looks out of place, almost like it has been superimposed on top of the kilt. Did you look at the gaiters/puttees? They also look like pre WW2 I would say. I have another pic of a relative in kilt uniform from WW1. He is wearing an apron type cover over his kilt, which was apparently often used to keep the kilt clean. So can't see the tartan or a sporran, and the pic is black and white, not hand tinted. He is also wearing gaiter/puttees, but they only come halfway up his shins, so his socks can be seen above them. Not much to go on in this pic, as no headwear with caap badge either. The mystery continues.....

[Currie]

Hello Orlaith,

I think the colourist has muddied things up a bit in the leg area. It’s a bit hard to tell where the spats end and the socks start, or if there’s anything in between.

Googling for khaki spats the Gordon Highlanders seem to crop up more than most. The khaki spats seem to be a 1914/15 thing, and turned out to be not very practical in the mud of the trenches.

There’s some interesting reading in these links.
http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forum ... opic=82852
and
http://gordonhighlanders1914-18.co.uk/uniform.html

I remember reading a book years ago about the Boer war, and the Boers, excellent marksmen, had the high ground, and there was a Scottish regiment taking cover as best they could in the open valley far below. The Scots were wearing red based kilts, and were easy to spot, and were all getting shot in the derriere.

You could try one of the specialist forums such as the Great War one. They may have some ideas.

All the best,
Alan

[Currie]

I should add that, according to the first link above, the apron type of khaki kilt cover was in use during the Boer War, and would have been useless as camouflage in the shooting situation described unless they turned it around.

Alan

[Orlaith17]

Thanks again, Alan, especially for the links. I'm just posting this pic for comparison....though to be honest there is no real comparison. This is my late grandmother with her first husband who died from war wounds in 1918. He served in the Black Watch (Royal Highlanders). I'm truly baffled by the original pic I put on here but have at least established beyond reasonable doubt that though it looks like my father, there is no way it can be him as he wasn't born until 1929

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