janwbay Posted 13 April , 2008 Share Posted 13 April , 2008 Hello there I wonder if someone can help me. I would like to know which regiments wore the kilt. I know that this is a World War 1 Forum, but can someone tell me where to research a soldier in World War 2. I have been going round in circles all morning. I am trying to help a lady from Australia to trace her father. (This is voluntary, not paid) I read her post on another forum and felt that I wanted to try to help her. Nobody else had answered her plea. I will of course acknowledge any help I receive from the Great War Forum You may have noticed that I said her father, and not her grandfather. We want to know which regiments wore the kilt so that we can narrow the search a bit. Thanks in advance. regards Janice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truthergw Posted 13 April , 2008 Share Posted 13 April , 2008 You have a problem here. The Highland Regiments wore the kilt in WW1 but by 1918, were moving toward battledress trousers because of mustard gas and plain common sense. In WW2 the kilted regiments did not wear it in battle. I will list WW1 regiments and that way pretend to be on topic. In no order. Black Watch, Cameron Highlanders, Gordon Highlanders, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, HLI one battalion. Now it gets tricky . There were other regiments where one battalion wore the kilt. One of the Edinburgh regts but I can't remember which. All pipers wore the kilt. as would drummers at times. Other Pals will add to the list I am sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigT Posted 13 April , 2008 Share Posted 13 April , 2008 A bit off topic but I believe the Cameron Highlanders did wear the kilt in France 1939/40. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janwbay Posted 13 April , 2008 Author Share Posted 13 April , 2008 Thank you Truthergw and Trevor I appreciate your replies and the information you have given me. I am sorry that I am off topic, but as I said earlier, I have spent the whole morning trying to find a WW2 website in order to get the information which I want. If you could point me to any WW2 websites which you know of, where I can research particular soldiers, and which regiments were kilted, that would be much appreciated, and I will not have to feel guilty at asking here. Thanks again regards Janice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodge Dowson Posted 13 April , 2008 Share Posted 13 April , 2008 You have a problem here. The Highland Regiments wore the kilt in WW1 but by 1918, were moving toward battledress trousers because of mustard gas and plain common sense. In WW2 the kilted regiments did not wear it in battle. I will list WW1 regiments and that way pretend to be on topic. In no order. Black Watch, Cameron Highlanders, Gordon Highlanders, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, HLI one battalion. Now it gets tricky . There were other regiments where one battalion wore the kilt. One of the Edinburgh regts but I can't remember which. All pipers wore the kilt. as would drummers at times. Other Pals will add to the list I am sure. 9th Royal Scots Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejcmartin Posted 13 April , 2008 Share Posted 13 April , 2008 There were of course a number of colonial regiments which also wore kilts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truthergw Posted 13 April , 2008 Share Posted 13 April , 2008 Janice I think you have the kilted regiments now. I have no knowledge of sites for researching WW2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 13 April , 2008 Share Posted 13 April , 2008 10th Battlion, King's (Liverpool) regt - Liverpool Scottish 14th Battalion, London regiment - London Scottish. I think a few Highland units wore the kilt in France, pre-Blitzkrieg, and I have seen photos of members of the Highland Division marching into captivity after surrender at St valery, wearing kilts, though it seems possible these were taken out of store as a mark of defiance prior to the arranged capitulation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janwbay Posted 13 April , 2008 Author Share Posted 13 April , 2008 Thank you very much to everyone who has given me so much information. In the meantime, I have found a World War Two forum, which if you would care to have a look, - I am sure you will agree looks very familiar. http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/ P.S. I found this by going through Geoff's website on this forum. Thanks again Janice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Sweeney Posted 13 April , 2008 Share Posted 13 April , 2008 Janice, These are the units of the British Army that wore Kilts in WWI--Rank and File. There were many others units that had Pipe bands that wore kilts but are not included. Royal Highlanders (Black Watch) Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. Seaforth Highlanders Gordon Highlanders Cameron Highlanders Territorial Force 10th Battalion Kings (Liverpool Scottish) Regiment 14th Bn London (London Scottish) Regiment 6th Battalion Highland Light Infantry 9th Battalion Highland Light Infantry 9th Battalion Royal Scots Joe Sweeney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian turner Posted 13 April , 2008 Share Posted 13 April , 2008 Janice, If his name is known then it might be possible to obtain his army service record. If he has died then the closest next of kin can apply to the MOD for information on his records. It costs and takes some time to get results, but it is worth persevering. I do not have the contact info to hand, but I believe it is now handled in Glasgow. I am sure the address is readily obtainable on the internet or from the WW2 forums. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janwbay Posted 13 April , 2008 Author Share Posted 13 April , 2008 Janice, These are the units of the British Army that wore Kilts in WWI--Rank and File. There were many others units that had Pipe bands that wore kilts but are not included. Royal Highlanders (Black Watch) Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. Seaforth Highlanders Gordon Highlanders Cameron Highlanders Territorial Force 10th Battalion Kings (Liverpool Scottish) Regiment 14th Bn London (London Scottish) Regiment 6th Battalion Highland Light Infantry 9th Battalion Highland Light Infantry 9th Battalion Royal Scots Joe Sweeney Thank you for putting this all together Joe. It will give us a starting point to look for him. One further problem that I have thought of, is that although there was a picture of him in a kilt, (this has been destroyed) I know that sometimes kilts were borrowed for photographs, and his regiment may not actually have worn them. Ah Well ! We will see. Thanks again. regards Janice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janwbay Posted 13 April , 2008 Author Share Posted 13 April , 2008 Janice, If his name is known then it might be possible to obtain his army service record. If he has died then the closest next of kin can apply to the MOD for information on his records. It costs and takes some time to get results, but it is worth persevering. I do not have the contact info to hand, but I believe it is now handled in Glasgow. I am sure the address is readily obtainable on the internet or from the WW2 forums. Ian Thans Ian All she knows is his name, that he was from Glasgow, had sandy hair, and his father was a miner. She had a photograph of him in a kilt but her grandmother destroyed it. If she has no proof of being his daughter, would she be able to get his details? He may have died but she hopes to find family. I don't think she will have an easy task. Thanks again. regards Janice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian turner Posted 13 April , 2008 Share Posted 13 April , 2008 I'd better make this the last posting, since we are off topic for a WW1 forum and the moderators will not allow too much further space. She would need to prove not only her kinship (eg birth certificate) but also provide his death certificate. If he is still living, and/or she cannot prove he has died then she will not be able to get any service records. It looks a tough one. Sorry not to be able to wave the magic wand. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janwbay Posted 9 May , 2008 Author Share Posted 9 May , 2008 Thanks for all your help Ian. It is much appreciated. I did say thank you last month, but something has happened to the message. best wishes Janice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nigelfe Posted 10 May , 2008 Share Posted 10 May , 2008 It's not as simple as namÃng highland (plus London, Liverpool and Tyneside) regts. Some Irish may have worn them, at least in their pipe bands. Then there's the whole issue of battalions that were converted from infantry, usually (always?) to artillery. I have a photo of the officers of 100 Anti Tank Regt RA in the field in UK in 1942 or 3 all wearing kilts, they had been a MG bn, 9 Gordons, but were converted. Most of the highland regts had at least one battalion converted to artillery. Then there's the scottish yeomanry regts, did any of them wear kilts? Including the ones converted to artillery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janwbay Posted 11 May , 2008 Author Share Posted 11 May , 2008 Dear Nigelfe and Everyone else who has helped me. Thank you so much. From the lists which you have given me, we have been able to narrow down the kilted regiment which was in the particular place at that particular time. We have now narrowed the search to the Gordon Highlanders. Thank you again for all your efforts. regards Janice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lachlan07 Posted 11 May , 2008 Share Posted 11 May , 2008 Hello Janice The start of WW2 was a transition period for the Highland regiments. Though Battle-Dress had officially been introduced just before the war, the regular battalions tended to get their BD before the territorials. Regulars still wore kilts for parade and various duties. The 1st Batt Argylls are photographed in Palestine in December 1939 on parade in khaki service dress with kilts, hose, spats etc and tropical helmets. When Singapore fell in February 1942, a piece of film shows the Japanese victors driving past a parade of vanquished British and Commonwealth troops. The 2nd Batt Gordons are lined up at attention at the roadside, weaponless, but dressed in parade-style glengarries and kilts. A photo of a soldier of the 2nd Seaforths, 51st Highland Div. in May/June 1940, shows him in combat dress, with tin hat, BD blouse and - the kilt ! The terriers of the 51st Highland Div went on active service in Feb 1940 wearing the kilt. There's a famous photo of a battalion of Gordons marching to a railway station in Aberdeenshire in Service Dress, khaki tam o' shanters and kilts. A series of photos taken in the Spring of 1940 shows work parties of Camerons and Gordons in kilts working on trenches and barbed wire fortifications in Northern France. A photo of a staff piper at 51st Div HQ on the eve of the German attack on 10th May 1940, shows him in SD and kilt. Beyond that period, I don't believe kilts were much in evidence amongst troops in action, except for pipers (example - a famous photo of a Black Watch piper serenading wounded soldiers in North Africa). However, some individuals wore kilts in action. One such person was T/Capt James Graeme Ogilvie, Officer Commanding, D Squadron (No. 1 Wing), The Glider Pilot Regiment. Ex-Gordon Highlanders, Ogilvie wore a BD blouse and his Gordons kilt into action during Operation Market Garden at Arnhem. He was killed on 26th September 1944. Regards Lachlan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janwbay Posted 11 May , 2008 Author Share Posted 11 May , 2008 Thank you so much for all this information Lachlan. PLEASE - NO ONE ELSE ADD ANYTHING TO THIS THREAD, - AS IT IS OFF TOPIC. If anyone would like to give me any more information or add anything, please email me directly. Thanks again everyone who has helped me. regards Janice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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