Perth Highland Games

**Mike_Oettle** · 20th August 10, 01:58 PM

Hi, Alex – let me echo the thanks of the other posters for your hard work in taking the pictures, and the effort you put into your captions as well.
It was interesting to have the tartans identified. But it was even more interesting for me (as a South African) to see that 1 Medical Battalion has abandoned its pigeon’s blood kilts for tartan (Mackenzie), although most of them still have their red glengarries.
Was that Perth’s one sunny day of the year?

Regards,
Mike

**cessna152towser** · 20th August 10, 02:13 PM

1 Medical Battalion has abandoned its pigeon’s blood kilts for tartan (Mackenzie),

Please tell me more Mike.
I googled the band and came up with this piece which claims that they have been wearing the MacKenzie tartan since 1939.
http://www.1medpipeband.co.za/index....&Itemid=200058

**Mike_Oettle** · 4th November 10, 01:34 PM

Hi, Alex – my apologies for the belated reply. The e-mail for your post was one of dozens that have accumulated over the last while.
The web page you linked to produced information I had not previously come across. The SA Defence Force magazine Paratus (which reported on the band shortly after the formation of the SA Medical Service) mentioned nothing of the band’s previous history, nor of the medical unit’s history.
In fact, if I recall correctly it even stated that the band was based in Johannesburg, when clearly it is Durban-based.
It seems as if the McLaren tartan was briefly put aside at the time the SAMS came into being, and then resumed.
I find the band’s history even more interesting in the light of the fact that Natal has no Scottish regiments. All the old volunteer regiments of the Natal Colony were on English lines, and several of them are still in existence.
Regards,
Mike