British and Canadian Scottish / Highland regimental badges and tartans.

artiozen
Jun 24, 2024
3 min read

Updated: Apr 30

Having a Scottish family name (Baxter a sept of McMillan) one of my areas of interest is collecting and displaying Regimental badges and tartans as used in Commonwealth forces for the last 150 years. I can then also develop additional / duplicate items for sale and trade.

Per John Galor's works - A 3"square patch of tartan was to be applied to the khaki Tam-0'-Shanter (or Balmoral bonnet) on which the regimental badge was centralized. The patch was not worn on the blue bonnet (1950s onwards) or the glengarry - which had a black rosette to back the badge.

Cameron Highlander Badge on Cameron Tartan. WW1 Black Watch Badge on Black Watch Tartan, Canadian Seaforth Highlander Badge on Stuart Tartan.

So here we deal with the commonly found regiments with badges and tartans - also information on spotting fake /replicas to hone your living history impression or collection.

There are around three times more tartans that become rare use or obscure, but I keep this list to the most commonly encountered (non South African, Australia or New Zealand)

Scottish Regiment, Badges, Balmoral Badge Backs and Framed Examples

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Black Watch (modern) Tartan

also Royal Regiment Government 1A (Modern), also 42nd Tartan

Regiments:

Argyll Highlanders

Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders (badge image coming)

Black Watch (The Royal Highland Regiment) - soldiers wore no badge badge or badge back - only a red hackle.

Calgary Highlanders (badge image coming)

Canadian Black Watch

Glasgow Highlanders (Highland Light Infantry)

Gurkha Rifles - 6th & 9th

Kings Own Scottish Borderers (before 1900 - then Leslie)

Royal Scots Fusiliers - until 1948 - then Hunting Erskine

Tyneside Scottish (badge image coming)

Canadian Black Watch - WW2 Black Watch (Royal Highland) - WW1 Canadian Black Watch Printed Titles (WW2)

Campbell of Cawdor (modern) Tartan

also Ancient Campbell

Regiments:

Argyll Fencibles

Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders

Lorne Scots (Canada) - Peel, Duffern and Halton Regiment (badge image coming)

Cameron of Erracht (Ancient) Tartan

Regiments:

Cameron Highlanders (79th of Foot) - centered on a vertical cross of yellow lines.

Queens Own Cameron Highlanders

Queens Own Highlanders - centered on a vertical cross of yellow lines.

Cameron Highlanders of Canada (badge image coming)

Liverpool Scottish (badge image coming)

Cameron Highlanders

Dalziel (Modern) Tartan

Regiment:

Royal Scotts Greys (Pipers)

Davidson (Modern) Tartan

Regiment:

Highlanders of Canada (48th)

48th Canada Highlanders - WW2 Printed insignia, First Canadian Army Division (red felt square).

Douglas / Forbres

Cameron Highlanders (79th of Foot)

Liverpool Scottish

Erskine (Modern) Tartan

Regiment:

Kings Own Scottish Borderers (Territorial Army - Pipers).

Royal Highland Fusiliers (Pipers)

Erskine (Hunting) Tartan

Regiment:

Royal Scotts Fusiliers - after 1948, 42nd Tartan before - centered on the dark green square.

Fraser (Hunting) Tartan, similar to Leslie

Regiments:

Scottish Horse

Lovat Scouts

Kings Own Scottish Borderers (after 1900 - 42nd Tartan before - White line on the biias / diagonal top left to bottom right - red line opposite).

Gordon - Army 92nd Regiment (Modern)

also Stewart Hunting

Regiments:

Gordon Highlanders - cut on the bias / diagonal to center crossed yellow lines.

Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders

Royal Scots (on the bias / diagonal)

Hodden Grey

London Scottish

Stewart Royal (Modern)

Regiments:

Scotts Guards (Pipers)

Royal Scotts (Pipers)

Royal Scotts Dragoon Guards (Pipers)

Kings Own Scottish Borderers (Pipers) (badge image coming)

Black Watch (Pipers)

Seaforth Highlanders (72nd and 78 of Foot)

Tyneside Scottish (Pipers)

Canadian Seaforth Highlanders

Canadian Seaforth Highlanders (4 copper sheet lugs), Scots Guards Officers Cap

McKenzie Seaforth Highlanders No2 (Modern)

also Seaforth Highlanders of Canada

Regiments:

Highland Light Infantry (71st and 74th of Foot) - centered on verticle white and horizontal white lines.

Seaforth Highlanders (72nd and 78 of Foot) - cut on the bias / diagonally - white line from top left to bottom right, with red line crossed and opposite.

Royal Highland Fusiliers (as Trews and badge backs centered on the box of red (vertical) and white (horizontal)

Royal Scotts Fusiliers