Royal Canadian Navy Tartan

**sewing queen** · 27th February 17, 01:27 AM

I would like to sew neck ties for the men, and scarves for the women of our town's Canadian Legion. I have sourced tartan fabric for the RCAF and the various regiments of the Army.

Having trouble finding out if there is a tartan for the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). Anyone know if there is such a thing and what it looks like? I have found the Royal Navy tartan, for which I need permission to use. I suspect the Canadian Navy folks wouldn't be keen to wear it but who knows?

If there is no such thing as an RCN tartan, any suggestions as to which tartan I could use?

Sewing Queen

**Steve Ashton** · 27th February 17, 02:37 AM

There is an RCN Tartan but it is owned and controlled by the designer. The last that I heard she is not releasing it to anyone but her.

There is another design which was registered just last Sept. but it too is under copyright and totally held by its designer.

Perhaps you would like to contact the designer of the Canadian Legion Br50 Tartan and see if they would let you use that one.

http://www.tartansauthority.com/tart...r-50-corporate

**McMurdo** · 27th February 17, 06:45 AM

The first thing I could find was this blog post, she says here that it is not registered with the Scottish Tartan Authority.

http://tartanhousecanada.blogspot.ca...-atlantic.html

If you can believe the Cadet World forum there is no recognized RCN tartan.

http://www.cadet-world.com/cwforums/...hp/t-6443.html

I have a kilt in the Royal Naval Association tartan here is the link to my thread when I got it.

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...odyssey-35853/

I suppose you could go with the Maple Leaf Tartan which does not have any restrictions attached to it. As for the Royal Naval Association tartan it was held for 5 years specifically for veterans and widows of those who served with the Royal Navy, however it was to my understanding released for use after that 5 year period, that is how I was able to get 8 yards of it for my kilt.

If there is no tartan for the RCN then it could be designed and registered, I recently was the designer of the Scottish Wildcat Tartan, with quite a bit of input from the members of this forum it was a success and from design through registry to weave took about 8 months.

**figheadair** · 27th February 17, 11:48 AM

Originally Posted by McMurdo

The first thing I could find was this blog post, she says here that it is not registered with the Scottish Tartan Authority.

http://tartanhousecanada.blogspot.ca...-atlantic.html

If you can believe the Cadet World forum there is no recognized RCN tartan.

The Tartan House contacted us, the STA, to see if this was official. We have no note of this under that name but have it as the Black Douglas.

**McMurdo** · 27th February 17, 11:58 AM

Originally Posted by figheadair

The Tartan House contacted us, the STA, to see if this was official. We have no note of this under that name but have it as the Black Douglas.

Thank you for that Peter.

**davidlpope** · 27th February 17, 12:46 PM

Originally Posted by figheadair

The Tartan House contacted us, the STA, to see if this was official. We have no note of this under that name but have it as the Black Douglas.

So, red overcheck in place of white overheck = "Black Douglas"?

**figheadair** · 27th February 17, 02:08 PM

Originally Posted by davidlpope

So, red overcheck in place of white overheck = "Black Douglas"?

Assuming that the dark shade is black and not DB then yes - http://www.tartansauthority.com/tart...las-black-clan

**JohntheBiker** · 27th February 17, 08:50 PM

As one of four generations of Canadian naval reservists, I searched long and hard to find an RCN tartan, without success. As Steve sugests, there may well be privately registered tartans that call themselves "RCN Tartan", but frankly I don't think that can seriously be considered a representative tartan available to current and former members of the RCN. Funnily enough, there isn't an RCN equivalent of the regimental tie either.

**MacInLaw** · 28th February 17, 08:18 AM

I've also noted the lack of distinctive, official RCN tartan. It's especially odd in light of the RCAF tartan. I seem to recall a story that there was considerable personal investment by a senior Air Force officer years ago to make that tartan a reality. I suppose it would require the same type of personal investment from a respected sailor to make an official RCN tartan. That said, I would love to see it!

**imrichmond** · 28th February 17, 04:20 PM

Despite the lack of a dedicated tartan, bagpipes have long had a presence in the Canadian navy. Apparently, there was even an official Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve pipe band in St. John, New Brunswick during WWII. They wore regular naval uniforms rather than highland dress. This band was a forerunner of the present Simonds Lions Caledonia Pipe Band based in St. John. The present band wears the Royal Stewart tartan.

As a UNTD (University Naval Training Division) officer cadet (midshipman) back in the early 1960s, I was the duty piper for the UNTD during summer training at Cornwallis, Nova Scotia and used to pipe my fellow cadets to divisions on the parade square every morning and to church on Sundays. I did this in my regular naval uniform but wearing the duty white belt and gaiters except on Sundays. During my sea training, I was detailed by the ship's CO to pipe the ship in and out of harbour. On this duty, I piped on the frigate's forward 3-inch gun deck while my fellow cadets lined the ship's rails. On one occasion, when a contingent of UNTD cadets was sent to compete in the track and field events at the Antigonish highland games, I piped the contingent through the town in the traditional parade to the games field. Although our officers were attired in various bits of borrowed highland dress for this event, I and an accompanying drummer were in naval uniform with white belts and gaiters.