Tunes of Glory Kilts _ Gerald Harper

[Mike_Oettle]

The white stripes above the ankles are intriguing, although never having worn puttees myself I am at a loss to work out how the white would have been introduced.
Anklets made of khaki webbing were standard issue in the South African Army when I did my service, and were normally worn in their issued colour. The brass buckles and tabs were polished.
But the kilted regiments put takkie-white (as we called it – I believe pipeclay is the usual term) on their anklets.
They were very smart with the kilt, especially when (for me, on only one occasion) also wore white leather belts and bayonet frogs.
OC Richard remarks that khaki (British usage) was identical with olive drab (American).
There was a measure of overlap between the two, but olive drab was (as far as I am aware) somewhat more green.
When I was first in uniform, British-style khaki was very much the norm, and stayed that way for some types of dress, although we did go into brown battle fatigues.
It was also interesting to note that there were two groups of pipers, both (as far as I could see) wearing the same tartan, but one in tammies and the other in black glengarries.
Incidentally, the battledress blouse (which our American brethren call an Ike jacket) was known informally (at least in South Africa) as a bunny jacket. Not sure if that term was used anywhere else.
Regards,
Mike

[OC Richard]

interesting to note that there were two groups of pipers, both wearing the same tartan, but one in tammies and the other in black glengarries.

Yes, that's a plot point in the movie: the old CO allowed the pipers to wear either form of dress during pipes & drums practice. But when the new CO comes upon the pipes & drums practicing, he takes this mixed dress as a serious breach of disipline and instructs a sergeant "take down those men's names".

Some of the pipers are wearing a somewhat more ceremonial version of the regiment's dress, with Glengarries and horsehair sporrans, while others are wearing TOS and HB sporrans.