Hackles

[redhairedpiper]

We wear red hackles in our Glens, and always have. My band has shown great interest in taking them off the list as part of the uniform.

I would like to know the history of why they are worn (I have vague recollection as to the story behind red ones...)

If someone could fill me in on the history and meaning, I could make a well informed decision. At this time I am leaning toward using them for Legion Ceremonies only.

[Bill McClellan]

Hello Red and all,
The red hackle is worn only by the Black Watch.
They started wearing them in the later 1700's and in the early 1800's an order was issued that only
the Black Watch could wear them as a battle honor
of their great fighting abilities and courage.

Originally they wore a red vulture feather.

In WW1 the Canadian Black Watch was granted
permiso to also wear it for their meritorious
performance. Later the Tyneside Scottish were
allowed to use only because of their close
relationship with the Watch.

I looked at the photos on your official and
unofficial website and see over the years your
band has had various feathers in their bonnets.
sometimes none at all. Now after this lengthy
post, wear them if you want or not OR choose
something else, Blackcock feather, other colored
hackle, Tartan Swatch, I've even seen flowers
leaves and twigs tucked up behind the badge.
There you have it. The End.

Cordially,

Bill McClellan

[redhairedpiper]

:lol:! Twigs and branches eh? Will give that some thought!

Thanks for your help!!

[Dave Gallagher]

I hope the band keeps the hackles. They are very natural. A cap without a hackle has no character.
Dave.

[Brushpiper]

Hey Red,

I wear a Texas Bluebonnet, the official wildflower of Texas, in my Glengarry, along with a kilt made of the Texas Bluebonnet tartan, which is the official tartan of the state by House proclamation. That way, we have our own tradition and are not copying some regiment that we don't belong to. :wink:

Bill has it right though, either wear them or not, but above all, enjoy yourself! :D I believe we get too wrapped around the axle on some of this stuff. :thumb:

Ron B.

[redhairedpiper]

You know, what's been interesting in all of this... my veteran members asked no questions yesterday at the gig when I said pull out the hackles. I have several new members, most from various cadet corps, that made a point of asking the reason behind the change...they seem to believe the hackles should stay...

[Klondike Waldo]

Originally posted by redhairedpiper:
:lol:! Twigs and branches eh? Will give that some thought!

Thanks for your help!! The twigs and branches hearken back to the original clan "Badges" which were sprigs of some plant identified with the clan, usually evergreens of some variety, but not always.
e.g Camerons wore oak or crowberry, Campbells, IIRC, wore bog myrtle, etc.

[Emmet Bondurant]

Due to the history of the red hackle and my aversion to wearing military insignia or honors to which I'm not entitled, I was initially somewhat leery about my band's wearing of the hackle. However, upon getting to know them, and discovering how many are veterans of the Royal Highland Regiment, the 48th Highlanders, and one, our senior member, the 42nd Regiment Black Watch in WW II, I now wear it with pride, and consider myself very fortunate to find myself in such good company.

[Dave Gallagher]

This idea that any color hackle is the exclusive property or right of any group or even regiment is not correct. As an example, the Royal Irish Regiment wear a green hackle. It is their tradition to wear it. Irish type pipe bands around the world can wear a caubeen with a green hackle. Most bands have their own badge to wear with it. One band I know of wears a piper (dark)green caubeen and green hackle just like the Royal Irish, but uses a cap badge that is a harp with a shamrock on top instead of the crown. The pipers of the Irish Guards wear a blue hackle. I think the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers wore a grey hackle, the London Irish may have worn a black hackle, if I remember correctly. As you can see, you will run out of colors and no one would be able to wear any hackle under this idea.
Wear any color you want. it is not owned by anyone. They just made the same choice as you.
Dave.
PS. In photos seen on the internet of the Royal Irish Rangers and the current Regiment, the uniform tunic, caubeen and kilt hose look black but in fact are a very dark green refered to as piper green.
This link to a photo will show what I mean. The kilt is saffron of course, but the hackle, hose, tunic, caubeen and the mantle or cloak are piper green but look black. The picture is of former PM Tommy Jackson.
http://www.trav.freeuk.com/piper6.jpg

Dave.

[Don't engage Daegan with Hypocrisy]

I just want to know what is the best looking, most proper hackle to wear with my new BDF hat badge? A bananna peel -- even part of one -- is too big and too messy.

[Klondike Waldo]

perhaps a ginger saddle hackle with some scarlet floss and a deer hair ruff.... ooops sorry, that would be a salmon fly, wrong forum :wow: , but though salmon flies are not relevant to this thread, they are much to be preferred over the fruit flies which will be attracted to your "Morning Chiquita" badge decoration :humm: :banana:

[Emmet Bondurant]

As for "twigs and branches", my non-band glen I wear when I'm soloing is green (goes quite well with my favorite tweed jacket), with a pewter stag's head not unlike the old two-piece Seaforths, and a buck tail for a hackle.

[Don't engage Daegan with Hypocrisy]

Good point Klondike Waldo -- I knew there had to be more downfalls w/ that idea. At least if you only kept it to short periods -- like smashed bands or something.

[Tommy P.]

Originally posted by SUP-er Daegan:
I just want to know what is the best looking, most proper hackle to wear with my new BDF hat badge? A bananna peel -- even part of one -- is too big and too messy. How about "Goose-Down"?

[bluther2]

Finally a use for my old whiskey tubes, I can arts and crafts them into hackles. Aaaaa the sweet memories, :p must be off now to empty more tubes of single malt

[uncle Mario Tomasone]

Just found out this post and would like to add some details which could be probably of some interest about the episode which gained to the Black Watch the honour to wear the hackle.

The episode dates bach to 1795 and is described by Archibald Forbes in his Regimental History(publ. 1910). During the revolutionary wars a fight occured in Geldermansen, Low Countries, during which the French took some british guns and trailed them across a small stream in a more secure position, closer to the French lines.
The guns were re-taken with extreme bravery by the men of the Black Watch.
The hackle was granted to the Black Watch men as a badge of courage and bravery and Forbes quotes a letter of a contemporary officer which states that the plume was taken away from the 11th dragoons , which were the first unit charged to take the guns but with no result, and given to the Watch.