Rare Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) kilt

[TheVintageLibertine]

Hi all, I found what looks to be an unissued military kilt online. I imagine it’s rather rare since, other than the pipe band, the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) were not a kilted regiment for most of their existence.

[TheVintageLibertine]

[OC Richard]

That's really cool!

It's always interested me, the "lost" uniforms of the pipers of units which no longer exist. (The Cameronians were disbanded in 1968, rather than being amalgamated as happed to so many Scottish units.)

[TheVintageLibertine]

That's really cool!

It's always interested me, the "lost" uniforms of the pipers of units which no longer exist. (The Cameronians were disbanded in 1968, rather than being amalgamated as happed to so many Scottish units.)

Those are great photos!

Unfortunately, there was no picture of a label, so I’m not positive this is an MOD kilt. But the green edge tap and lining looks exactly like MOD kilts from the 1940s and ‘50s.

The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) have a place in my heart because they were the local regiment for where my ancestors came from, wore my family tartan, have an interesting history and, frankly, were kind of a regiment of black sheep.

They had a reputation for being very insular and standoffish. For instance, when the 26th Foot (Cameronian Regiment) and 90th Foot (Perthshire Light Infantry) merged to become, respectively, the first and second battalions of the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) in 1881, each battalion almost pretended the other didn’t exist, and insisted on being referred to by their old titles. From what I surmise, the 26th was very unhappy to be merged with the 90th, because the latter was so much less senior.

Later, when part of the BAOR, the regiment, who by then were mostly tough Glaswegians, received the awesome nickname “the poison dwarfs” from German locals due to their proclivity for wrecking bars.

I suspect that insularity is why the, by then, single-battalion Cameronians chose disbandment rather than amalgamation in 1968.

[cessna152towser]

Possibly a regimental military tartan which was never worn in active service but would have been appropriate uniform dress for dining in events.
Perhaps one of our experts can clarify.

[TheVintageLibertine]

Like a lot of Scottish light infantry regiments, the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) traditionally wore trews for their No. 1, No. 2, and mess dress. Unlike the Highland Light Infantry, they never (officially) became a kilted regiment, except for pipers.

However, in some group photos from the First World War, there is often a single man in a kilt. I’ve also seen a few individual portraits where the subject is clearly wearing their cap badge and a kilt. I’d always assumed they were pipers.

I wonder if kilts were worn unofficially by non-pipers?

Here’s a plate of officers’ mess dress from the 1950s or ‘60s:

[Janner52]

I am by no means an expert but there are a lot of clues here which would indicate it as a MoD other ranks kilt. Apart from the green tape. There are double pronged buckles. The style of pleating and the coarseness of the material are also clues as is the 27 inch length.

[OC Richard]

there are a lot of clues here which would indicate it as a MoD other ranks kilt. Apart from the green tape. There are double pronged buckles. The style of pleating and the coarseness of the material are also clues as is the 27 inch length.

Agreed on all counts!

The typical Mod OR's kilts had stamped sheet-metal double-pronged buckles on thin japanned white canvas, which is what yours appear to be.

Then as Janner mentioned the grass-green herringbone twill tape used for the top binding.

Also the lack of fringe.

That MoD OR's tartan was thick, from 18 to 22 ounce, and felt something like a travel rug.

However the Pipe Major's kilt would probably have been more like typical civilian 16 ounce tartan.

Kilts of that period generally have an MoD label which included a NATO number.