Cape Town Highlanders

[milhistry]

I was rather pleased by the response to my post a few months ago seeking information on the dress distinctions of the Cape Town Rifles (Dukes) that so I thought I'd start another topic in simmilar vein. This time dealing with one of my favourite regiments (I remember cutting out pictures from the Argus and Cape Times as a child) the Cape Town Highlanders, formerly the Queen's Own Cape Town Highlanders.

Dress distinctions I can remember:

Service Dress:

* glengarry cap with dicing and red tourie

* Cutaway SD jacket in drab barathea for officers, drab whipcord "bunny jacket" for other ranks

* Gordon kilt

* horse hair sporran with two tassles or leather pouch (depending on order of dress and rank)

* diced hose with spats and brogues

* Lance Sgts wore tartan patch above Cpl chevrons

Field Dress:

* Nutria shirts with trousers (standard issue)

* Khaki balmoral with khaki tourie, large headdress badge on tartan flash of Gordon tartan

* Black boots (in lieu of issue standard issue brown)

A few questions:

Firstly, am I correct in asuming the CTH are now the only unit to wear the gordon tartan?

When were the red shoulder tabs re-introduced?

I notice the Highlanders now wear the balmoral in service dress as well, or is it restricted to certain ranks? From memory Balmoral was worn with Field Dress and glengarry with service dress, has this now changed?

[Chris Boonzaier]

One of my first bits of Militaria was a Cape Towm Highlanders badge, given to me by one of my teachers...

[Arthur R]

A few questions:

Firstly, am I correct in asuming the CTH are now the only unit to wear the gordon tartan?

In South Africa, yes.

When were the red shoulder tabs re-introduced?

As soon as National Party rule ended in 1994. The Dukes also re-introduced the red tabs at that time.

[Mervyn Mitton]

Capetown Highlanders - Feather Bonnet worn by the Band.

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_07_2012/post-6209-0-26847900-1342444917.jpgclick to enlarge

[peter monahan]

Very nice, Mervyn! Much better looking than those nasty flashy silver helmets the cavalry blokes wear. ;)

[milhistry]

CTH Glengarry with Bronze badge - possibly WW2 era