Liverpool Scottish Museum Archive

Highland Dress

On the left is a caricature postcard illustrating uniform at the time of formation in 1900 and the right hand picture shows the uniform of Colonel Forbes Bell VD (Volunteer Decoration) and that of a private soldier also of the period immediately after 1900. Silver lace (on the scarlet collar and cuffs) and silver shoulder cords are seen, indicating the volunteer status of the unit; officers of the regular Army would have had gold cords and lace. Colonel Forbes Bell's field rank (major, lieutenant colonel or colonel) is indicated not only by badges of rank on the shoulder cords but also by the lace rings on his cuffs. Head dress is a glengarry with a black cock plume. Feather bonnets were also worn on occasion by officers.

When the 1st Battalion of The Liverpool Scottish went to France and Belgium in November 1914, the Regimental Historian records that swords were taken as part of the standard fighting equipment for officers (as had been the case for the Regular Army in August 1914), although they would have been fitted with a less decorative and more practical steel cross hilt rather than the more ornate "basket hilt". The uniform on active service would however have been the much plainer Service Dress. Swords were quickly discarded as an item of kit in 1914 once the battalion was actually in France.

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