WACs and the Piper

[Dave Kerr]

Here is a U.S. Army Signal Corps photo I scanned at the NARA II in May 2025.

The WACs belonged to the 6888th Central Postal Battalion, the "only all African American, all women battalion sent overseas during World War II."

https://www.flickr.com/photos/630273...in/dateposted/


Dave

[Macman]

Thanks for posting that! It's a great picture.

[OC Richard]

That is a great photo!

I'm curious as to the piper's unit.

I can see GUARD on his sleeve insignia, which would mean Home Guard.

The Home Guard unit listed for Greenock is the 1st Renfrewshire & Bute

https://www.staffshomeguard.co.uk/Do...nfrewshire.htm

however they are listed as wearing the uniform of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, meaning the Sutherland tartan, but he's wearing a MacKenzie kilt.

In nearby Glasgow there were a large number of Home Guard units all listed as wearing the uniform of the Highland Light Infantry, meaning the MacKenzie tartan.

Knowing the sleeve insignia would help ID the unit.

[jsrnephdoc]

That is a great photo!

I'm curious as to the piper's unit.

I can see GUARD on his sleeve insignia, which would mean Home Guard.

The Home Guard unit listed for Greenock is the 1st Renfrewshire & Bute

https://www.staffshomeguard.co.uk/Do...nfrewshire.htm

however they are listed as wearing the uniform of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, meaning the Sutherland tartan, but he's wearing a MacKenzie kilt.

In nearby Glasgow there were a large number of Home Guard units all listed as wearing the uniform of the Highland Light Infantry, meaning the MacKenzie tartan.

Knowing the sleeve insignia would help ID the unit.

Anyone browsing here who doesn't yet know could use this post to confirm that OCR REALLY knows his stuff.

And, anyone seeking diversion from sett sizes and thread counts and color ways could learn more about those volunteers in the marvelous 2024 movie The Six Triple Eight

[OC Richard]

Oh no I don't know that stuff, I had to look it up.

Going from the clue of GUARD on his sleeve-title I found a great site that lists all the WWII Home Guard units and gives their home town and what Regular Regiment they're allied with.

So the tons of Glasgow Home Guard units were allied with the Highland Light Infantry (MacKenzie tartan) and the several Renfrewshire units were allied with the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders (Sutherland tartan).

That piper's sporran is very interesting, looking like an Argylls sporran but with two long tassels instead of the usual six short tassels. I suppose I'd have to search for photos of tons of Glasgow Home Guard units and maybe find a photo showing matching sporrans. (Or perhaps several units wore that kind.)

[jsrnephdoc]

Oh no I don't know that stuff, I had to look it up.

But you knew HOW and WHERE to do so. And that, in my feeble view, is why at least for now, HUMAN intelligence surpasses AI, which, when unable to glean a correct inference from its VERY LARGE database, still tends just to "MAKE THINGS UP!"