WWII-ERA Officer Tam O'Shanter with Strange Badge Holes

[Reid10]

I recently acquired a WWII-era Officer Tam O'Shanter. The TOS was made by William Anderson & Sons Ltd with King George VI's Royal Warrant of Appointment, for a manufacturing date of 1936-1952, give or take a few years depending upon when the warrant expired. The label has an almost illegible name written on it. The only thing I can make out is the rank (Major) and an "R" for the first name.

The TOS does have some slight damage to the rear seam and is missing its ribbon bow. I usually collect post-1952 Scottish headgear, but for $60.00 I couldn't pass it up and a capable seamstress can fix the seam. Finding a ribbon that is authentic is difficult and I prefer to leave it as is. (Though I have also seen a few examples without the ribbon for sale.)

Based on the badge backing, I thought at first it was for an officer in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Regiment. However, the badge holes are not horizontal. (I will let the pictures explain.)

Can anyone help to identify the badge that may have been on this TOS, and thereby the Regiment? Because there are two holes that are vertical to each other, I thought at first it was for the Royal Scots Fusiliers. However, it has three holes total and two of those are horizontal to each other. Whichever badge goes with the TOS, because it is an officer version it will be expensive, so the TOS may stay unbadged for a long time!

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this mystery TOS!

Reid

[08SMLE48]

Black Watch perhaps? Tartan seems a little off but the two holes on top could be for the badge pin and the bottom hole for the hackle.

[Reid10]

Thank you for your reply! Unfortunately, the BW did not wear a tartan badge backing, so I had to rule that one out. (Too bad though). I checked all of the units that wore the Government Tartan as a badge backing during the time the TOS was made and narrowed it down to the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Regiment. However, the badge holes still remained a mystery. A member of the British and Commonwealth Military Badge forum observed that the holes matched the lugs of the Highland Brigade cap badge. I did a comparison with a HB Other Ranks badge I have and the holes and lugs matched.

So, what we have is a TOS made when King George VI's Royal Warrant of Appointment was still valid (~1936 to 1955), that was badged after 1958 when all units were required to wear either the Lowland or Highland Brigade badge, likely worn by an A&S officer.

Another reason why I like this hobby. You never know what you will discover while researching an item.

[Watchdog]

Thank you for your reply! Unfortunately, the BW did not wear a tartan badge backing, so I had to rule that one out. (Too bad though). I checked all of the units that wore the Government Tartan as a badge backing during the time the TOS was made and narrowed it down to the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Regiment. However, the badge holes still remained a mystery. A member of the British and Commonwealth Military Badge forum observed that the holes matched the lugs of the Highland Brigade cap badge. I did a comparison with a HB Other Ranks badge I have and the holes and lugs matched.

So, what we have is a TOS made when King George VI's Royal Warrant of Appointment was still valid (~1936 to 1955), that was badged after 1958 when all units were required to wear either the Lowland or Highland Brigade badge, likely worn by an A&S officer.

Another reason why I like this hobby. You never know what you will discover while researching an item.

I missed this when first posted but have been referred to during off forum discussion.

The royal appointment factor is in my opinion a red herring as this bonnet may have been owned and not used for some time after purchase but equally may have been New Old Stock as tailors being commercial business would be unlikely to change labels in items already held as stock and it would not be illegal to sell the item with the old warrant label just to produce new items with it but as the Anderson company was appointed to the new Monarch Elizabeth II I doubt anyone would pay any mind to this label as it is not actually inaccurate it just might have been out of date at the time of sale. What I have no doubt of is that these holes match only one badge that being the "Crucified Moose" of the Highland Brigade worn from 1958 - 68 and the the officer concerned was an Argyll as indicated by the tartan patch.



Regards

Mark