leigh kitchen

Ta, I thought they were newly made, similar in style to the one shown. Not my field, but are we thinking about 1850's for the one shown?

I've seen photos of very similar "Black Watch Volunteer Bn" items, I think they were described as, on a web site, I don't know if they're old or recently made, but they look new (not that I'm saying your one looks new):

According to Mike Chappell in "The British Soldier in the 20th Century Part 2, Field Service Head Dress 1902 to the present day", Wessex Publishing 1987, the practise of wearing tartan patches on Tam o Shanter's began in the 9th (Scottish) Division in 1915, battalions of the division being ordered to wear them in the manner of battle patches, cap badges were not to worn in the line. Some units wore hackles alone (Chappell shows a khaki TOS unsadorned other than the red hackle & small button of The Black Watch, 1917), some such as the later amalgamated regiment The Royal Highland Fusiliers a hackle with tartan patch, but I don't know when that practise was started by whatever units. I have a WWII TOS bearing a backing patch in REME colours & The REME cap badge, a backing patch of tartan or regiment or corps colours was worn by all regiments & corps forming part of 51st Highland Division. The badge is a plastic economy, I can't remember if its fittings pass through the fabric of the TOS or just through the backing patch, as there's very little weight to the badge. Perhaps this TOS, if worn during WWI was'nt fitted at all with a badge, just the battle patch as worn in the line, or it was worn by a unit which tucked a hackle in at the top of the patch & did'nt wear a badge. I'd be inclined to pin or very lightly tack a suitable tartan patch on & leave it at that rather than put on a badge that was never there or give the impression that a carefully sewn on patch is original or trying to appear that way.

Have you noticed how those central "cones" in khaki have been cropping up around the place, I've seen them described as British army hospital night caps but only a few days ago came across one for sale on a web site listed as "the central part of a turban". It's at tmes like this you need Ed. Closest I can come up with is 33rd Queen's Own Light Cavalry - close, but no cigar:

Unit War Diary, a post war history of the unit or local nespaper may mention him & / or the reason he was reccommended for or awarded the medal. His actual rank on the MIC is Bombardier Merv, rather than the Gunner - Lance Bombardier (Gunner - Acting Lance Bombardier?) on the medal. If Michael's got the right Ackrier Cross (looks like two were born in Lancashire in 1893, one at Kirkland, one at Garstang, unless we're talking about the same man), it looks like he was in a TF battalion of the KORR prior to RFA? (standing, 2nd from the right).

Lovely medal as always Darren - that pawnbroker's mark tells its own tale as well I suppose. Pawned by the recipient or his NOK or decendants because of real necessity, to feed the kids, fuel an alcohol dependency, or due to lack of interest?

A closer look at the headgear:

"Scottish Horse at camp, c1912", from "British Army Territorial Units 1914-18", by Ray Westlake & Mike Chappell, Osprey, 1991. The two men in slouch hats are wearing the Atholl grey Full Dress uniform, the man sittng on the rght of the group is wearing his Imperial Service Brooch on the wrong side of his chest:

"Crimpers" worked in collusion with recruiters, befriending likely lads, buying them drinks, doing the sort of things we think of as being done by the Recruiting Sergeant, but going further by slipping them a sleeping draught or luring them away from the crowd (perhaps for sex, as some crimpers would be female, prostitutes & the like) so they could be isolated & forcibly recruited - abducted.

The last of the photographs in James Burns Gilbert's little grouping - "Colonel and Padre 1st Batt London Scottish 1919". The "Colonel", presumably Lt Colonel & Commanding Officer of the battalion , wears his rank insignia on the gauntlet cuffs of his jacket, a practise that died out during the war in favour of showing rank insignia on shoulder straps, thus making it harder for the enemy to identfy officers. The Padre wears his rank insignia on the shoulderstraps of his Service Dress tunic, which does not have the cutaway skirts worn by Scottish units, although he does wear Scottish tribal headgear.

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Full circle - back to grandfather Charles Rush, his army service records:

Uncle Charles Rush, wedding day, to Annie Harold?

Uncle Charles E Rush with a Charles H Rush his son?

Uncle Charles in Egypt, 1943?

Uncle Charles with other REME officers? And in 1939:

I think the reference to the RE office irelates to the records of the time, rather than now, but I don't know I'm afraid. Your father Gerald & your uncle Charles at The Duke of Yorks Royal Miltary School & your uncle Charles (2nd row down, 2nd from right), same location. It's interesting to see the boys wear the cap badge of their parent or ntended regiment or corps on the front of their tunics

You did say in a thread a few days ago that you would be getting a repro one of these, so that gave us a hint to this hat being a repro when this thread appeared, just stick an identifying "repro" on when you post photos & that'll steer us clear of confusion. How about you start off a thread for badges, photos etc of the Scottish Horse, sounds like you can rattle info off without having to do the background work? I have a few photos & badges I can add.

"The Regt Sergt Major 1st London Scottish 1919" The RSM's brass Royal Coat of Arms rank insignia are visible on the lower sleeves of both arms, the inverted red triangle on the upper right. His medal ribbons may include that of the Miltary Cross. He is possibly wearing collar badges. On the right sleeve, below the rank badge, are overseas service chevrons. There appear to be four chevrons, all the same colour, which means that they are coloured blue - the chevrons were introduced in December 1917, qualifying service ceased on 1/5/1920 & they were discontinued in wear in 1922. The first was awarded the day of departure overseas, further chevrons for each aggregation of one year. Leave periods back in the UK were still counted towards qualfication as long as they did'nt exceed one month. A red chevron was worn by those serving overseas prior to 1/1/1915, it's hard to say from the photo but the RSM appears not be wearing a fifth, red chevron under the four blue.

The man seated front right is wearng a metal shoulder title, a straight bar configuration by the look of it - any chance of a good close up of that?

All families have their black sheep, with the passing of time they seem to have an added interest - the WWII photo shows the Pioneer Corps cap badge by the way. Some R Warwicks were victims of one of the infamous killing of unarmed POWs by German troops incidents during the Dunkirk period.

You will have checked re. his MIC, Service Records etc I would think?