79th Foot square-toe spats

[OC Richard]

I just now noticed something I'd not before, in this photo of various members of The 79th Foot (Cameron Highlanders) - all the spats have square toes!

This photo was taken between the time the doublet was introduced (1856) and the gauntlet cuff was introduced (1868).

In modern times spats like this have been the unique distinction of The 42nd Foot/The Black Watch. Hmmm... now I'll have to go back over other vintage military photos and see what's what.



For comparison here are the 78th Foot during the same period with the usual curved-toe spats. (Note the piper's gauntlet cuffs; some pipers' doublets had had these years before they were introduced for all military doublets.)



And the 42nd Foot with their typical square-toe spats

[Reiver]

Those huge sporrans look to weigh a ton....quite the kit.

[blackwatch70]

one more addition - 78th Highlanders (attached Light Coy photo) in 1859 probably also have square-toed spats!



It looks like at least 3 Highland regiments wore such spats up to some date than only Black Watch keep it, other changed to round toe spats...

[OC Richard]

Very interesting! Thanks for that photo of the 78th with square toe spats.

So... it makes one wonder if that style spat was at one time just a common pattern. Seems that, like you say, later everyone except for the Black Watch switched to rounded spats.

It takes away the legendary reason for the Black Watch's squared toes, what, that they formed a square at Waterloo? I can't remember the story. Of course all the British infantry at Waterloo formed squares.

Also interesting are late 19th and early 20th century photos of members of The Black Watch wearing rounded spats, the khaki spats worn with the khaki tunic and sun helmet. I've seen Black Watch photos of the same period showing white square-toe spats and khaki round-toe spats.

Note that these two Black Watch pipers, Boer War, have somewhat differently shaped spats



Here's a WWI Black Watch member with rather rounded-ish khaki spats



Though these khaki spats are the classic square-toe type