Found this French(-Canadian?) website with some excellent artwork.(Pierre Turner???) Navigation :: Les uniformes This one of a Black Watch soldier of 4th Division. View attachment 452 click on him to enlarge I thought the "Ladies from Hell" wore battledress trousers from the start not kilts. Anyone have any more info?
Hi Owen, I assume you mean trousers during battle? The last allied soldiers to officially wear the Kilt in battle, were The Queens Own Cameron Highlanders, for which they received their blue hackle.
I suppose the illustration must show a Parade or ceremonial sentry. When did QOCH wear their kilt under fire for the last time?
There was a documentary sometime back about the Black Watch of Canada and they were shown wearing the kilt in battle in the first world war!!
1st batt QOCH reduced to a strenght of 79 men. were evacuated from Dunkirk May 31st 1940 after having fought a defensive role at La Bassee canal, holding off a German attack by some 300 tanks on May 25th, 1940. 4th Batt were captured along with the rest of 51st HD at St Valery. Attched pic of 1st Camerons in France 1939.
There was a documentary sometime back about the Black Watch of Canada and they were shown wearing the kilt in battle in the first world war!! I have a photo of my granddad taken in 1917 in passendale of him up to his knees in mud and wearing a Kilt!
There was a documentary sometime back about the Black Watch of Canada and they were shown wearing the kilt in battle in the first world war!! I know they wore them in The Great War. it's WW2 I wondered about. Here is a picture of 42nd Bn CEF (BW of C) Sept 1918. My late-friend Roy Henley aged 16 third from right.Shortly before being wounded by a spud-masher. Most of the other men were killed. I've been to see their graves near Cambrai.
Just found this picture of Scottish troops at St.Valery. www.belgiumww2.info - Escape and Evasion in wartime Belgium - The Cameron Highlanders
I thought the "Ladies from Hell" wore battledress trousers from the start not kilts. Anyone have any more info? I notice too that the illustration is kitted out in a 1902 SD jacket which was worn in the early days of the war by TA units, not regulars. Regulars in the BW would have had the 37 pattern BD. (My grandad (one of the first terriers in France) arrived in France in 1939 clad in SD, but was evacuated in May 1940 wearing BD). dave
Just found this picture of Scottish troops at St.Valery.[/url] Note the BD blouse on the kilt-wearer - not the SD of the French illustration. Dave
Originally issued to an officer of the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders, this was among the last kilts to be worn in action by a Highland soldier - at Dunkirk in 1940. Clan Cameron Museum at Achnacarry
Note the BD blouse on the kilt-wearer - not the SD of the French illustration. Dave Yep. Seen Couple of painting by David Rowlands Queens Own Cameron
Several Cameron kilts were buried or hidden in St Valery, some made into skirts by the women of St Valery in 1940. Some were retrieved in 1944 when Camerons re-entered St Valery in September 1944.
Several Cameron kilts were buried or hidden in St Valery, some made into skirts by the women of St Valery in 1940. Aye Richard. saw it on your site. www.keep-em-moving.com St Valery-en-Caux, France 1944 Pipers MacNeill(left) & Chisholm talk to a French girl of St Valery who is wearing a skirt made from the tartan of a Cameron Kilt, left in the town in 1940 View attachment 472
Artist has got 4th Div sign wrong. That is the late war version. According to Mike Chapell's Osprey MAA 187 book. 1940 version was the quadrant from 12 to 3. (edit 18/10/06 photo from 1940 proves this not right.see image on the right) View attachment 471 View attachment 704 Going back to the painting if he TA then that is a 6th Bn Black Watch man. 1st Bn went to 51st Div to strengthen the TA Division with Regular Battalions. 12 Infantry Bde 3.9.39 - 31.8.45 2 Royal Fusiliers 1 South Lancs (until 13.6.40) 1 Black Watch (until 4.3.40) 12 Inf Bde Atk Coy (until 3.1.41) 6 Black Watch (from 4.3.40) 1 RWK (from 5.9.40)
Picture from Battleground Europe book, DUNKIRK page 76. quote from page 75/76. ...Stanley Allan, a British rating on HMS Windsor was embarking troops off Dunkirk. A file of Scottish soldiers wearing khaki aprons over their kilts and led by an officer with his arm in a sling approached the ship. 'The wounded officer called out to the bridge, "What part of France are you taking us to?" One of the naval officers replied," We're taking you back to dover". The Scotsmen were disgusted and said they were not bloody well coming. They promptly turned round and went back to continue the war with the Germans on their own. It really was remarkable.'
Pity the photos have all disappeared. Been looking at the IWM site and some good pictures of the Camerons in the Maginot Line wearing their kilts. O 223 O 228 O 588 O 620 This is new to me. A kilt in action 1944. BU 1145 Arnhem 17 - 25 September 1944: Captain Ogilvie of the Glider Pilot Regiment (who landed in his kilt) standing beside a jeep with a patrol.
Had a picture of one of the Commandos on the St Nazaire raid somewhere. He went into battle wearing his Liverpool Scottish (Forbes Tartan) Kilt. I f I find it I'll post it.
Had a picture of one of the Commandos on the St Nazaire raid somewhere. He went into battle wearing his Liverpool Scottish (Forbes Tartan) Kilt. I f I find it I'll post it. Here's an officer at least: "Captain Donald W Roy, a Cameron Highlander of Number 2 Commando, who was educated at Fettes College in Edinburgh and who fought that day in his Cameron kilt, as did Private T McCormack and a number of others." The Scots at War Trust | The St Nazaire Raid 1942 Seems to be often referred to as the last wearing of the kilt in action but pictures in this thread appear to give the lie to that.
