What was the name of James’ regiment?

Q

This is, we believe, a photograph of my partner’s great uncle, James William Grigsby Hook (1892–1956), taken in 1919. We think he was in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (although he came from Kent). Can you confirm this?

Zena Joyce

A

This is a curious photograph. Half points to one regiment, the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (A&SH), the other to the Royal Scots. I also suspect it was taken a few years after 1900. The wearing of white belts and the carrying of swagger canes (in his left hand) became uncommon early in the First World War, so 1919 is unlikely.

Both regiments wore a scarlet jacket, but the Royal Scots usually wore ‘trews’ not kilts. The jacket cuffs and collar (facings) are dark compared with the jacket, normally meaning blue. The Royal Scots’ facings were blue, whereas those of the A&SH were yellow.

The main pointer to the regiment has to be the collar badge. The A&SH’s collar badge combined the old badges of two previously amalgamated regiments. It looked like a figure 8 on its side. Clearly, he wasn’t with them; it’s definitely the Royal Scots.

He probably served in the Royal Scots 9th Volunteer Battalion (Highlanders), who wore the kilt (Stewart Hunting tartan) after 1900, but the only description I can find of their sporran says that it should be white with black tails. However, volunteer battalions were peculiarly independent, and may have changed the design of the kilt and other parts of their uniform after 1900.

Phil Tomaselli

1 GLENGARRY

The A&SH glengarry (cap) has the chequerboard squares offset as here; Royal Scots glengarry borders were like a chessboard. The badge is no help, given the angle.

2 BADGE

The badge is definitely that of the Royal Scots, a thistle with two leaves above a scroll saying “Royal Scots”.

3 BUTTONS

Although the design on the buttons is unclear, the centre seems raised, which occurs on the Royal Scots’ buttons. The buttons of the A&SH tend to be flat.

4 SPORRAN

The official description of the A&SH sporran is: “Six short white horse-hair tassels, with thistle leaf sockets in gilt metal, suspended by loop wire cord.” It’s a match!

5 KILT

The kilt is dark with large checks, but hard to see. It could be Black Watch tartan, worn by A&SH or, less certainly, Stewart Hunting tartan, as worn by 9th Royal Scots.

6 SOCKS

The A&SH’s socks were chequered red and white, but the Royal Scots’ socks were dark in colour as here.