KILT IN WAR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24256, 26 March 1940, Page 11

KILT IN WAR

ITS RETENTION <From Our Own Correspondent) LONDON, Feb. 27. When Sir Harry Lauder appeared at Uslvr Hall. Edinburgh, at a Scottish concert to assist war charity, he was wearing the kilt. After his dress had been catching the eyes as pgjt of his distinctive stage technique, a plea for the retention of the kilt for the Highland regiments in time of war was made by the Duke of Montrose. “I think that some of us last week did something that would have the approval of the Association of Highland Societies, and would also be approved by all Highlanders serving in i the Forces of the Crown.” he said. (“We carried the battle for the kilt I right up to the portals of the War I Office. What we felt was that once I we lost the tartan, with its association with the Highland regiments, we should very seriously damage that spirit of comradeship arid that desire on the part of Highland soldiers to emulate the brave deeds of their ancestors in days gone by. This spirit engendered by the wearing of the kilt has meant a great deal to the popularity and courage .and strength of the Highland soldier. Sometimes we hear a good deal about the old school tie. Whatever the associations of the old school tie may stand for. they are nothing like those of the Ifilt. .which Will bind Highlanders together, rich and poor, high and low, and never more strongly than when they are going forward to fight for the liberties and freedom of their own country.”— (Applause.) . The Duke of Montrose went on to say that several attempts had been made to abolish the kilt as part of the Highland uniform. Ever since 1782, when the third Duke of Montrose was able to get the ban lifted on the wearing of the kilt, there seemed to have been some idea on the part of the War Office to get rid of it. They had failed up to now, and he thought they would

fail again. It would be a disaster if the kilt ever lost its associations with the battlefield. It might be right from the point of view of strategy or for military reasons that soldiers occupying front-line trenches in France should wear battle-dress, but behind the line and at all other times and all other places the kilt should be the uniform of the Highland soldiers. It would be disastrous if ever the idea got about that the kilt was only a picnic dress for days of peace. The kilt was extremely popular with youth movements In the country to-day. and they had to maintain that in times to come. “We must make our Highland regiments a 100 per cent. Highland, and must adhere to our national dress and as far as we can also maintain our national culture, our songs, our literature, our Doric, our Gaelic.”