After the Second World War the British Army carried on wearing battledress, the khaki waist-length blouse and baggy trousers, so that smartness was only achieved with difficulty. King George VI died in 1952 and Britain was shaken out of post-war austerity by the prospect of a Coronation and nationwide celebration. The military parade to accompany the golden coach carrying the new Queen needed to be more colourful so dress uniform made a comeback, but not quite as colourful as before for most regiments. While the Brigade of Guards continued the tradition of scarlet tunics, the Highland regiments dressed their Coronation contingents in green jackets, known as No.1 Dress.
The men chosen to represent The Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders at the Coronation were three officers and seven NCOs. The regiment at that time was serving in Spittal, Austria, as part of the occupation force. This detachment, along with detachments from other Highland regiments, was issued, some months previously, with the newly designed uniforms and took part in the parade. This was not full dress, which was discontinued in 1914, it was referred to as No.1 dress. A coloured version of this uniform can be seen in the photo of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, who was appointed Colonel-in-Chief of the regiment on 2 June 1953, the day of the Coronation.
The jacket is described as Piper Green, and from the front looks waist-length, but there were short tails at the back that had turn-backs in the facing colour, which, up until amalgamation in 1961 was dark blue. Other ranks had plain blue turn-backs but the officers’ jackets had three gilt buttons with gold braid button-holes so that the turn-back resembled an Inverness skirt flap turned on its side. There was no gold lace on the collar but the gauntlet-style cuff had an edging of gold braid and three buttons with gold braid loops. Other ranks had white edging to the collar and cuffs and white braid button-hole loops on the cuffs.
This jacket was worn from 1953 up until 1981 when the regiment regained the doublet, described as Archer Green. The jacket was worn with the Cameron of Erracht kilt, the most colourful of all the Highland regimental tartans. The white sporran was worn by all ranks, having a regimental badge on the front and a brass cantle topped with a small knob. The plaids were no longer worn but officers continued the tradition of wearing their crimson silk sash on the left shoulder with the tassels hanging on the right hip. The broadsword was also carried, with the white shoulder-belt that bore the gilt and silver belt-plate that had been introduced in 1881.
The blue headdress at that time was a dress version of the Balmoral, or Tam O’Shanter (Bonnet TOS). It is all blue, following the tradition of not having a diced band like other Highland regiments (apart from the Black Watch). It has a red toorie on top and the silver badge of St Andrew and his cross surrounded by a thistle wreath is on the left side. This has a Royal blue feather hackle tucked behind it, a distinction worn on the headdress since 1940. The green and red hose were worn with black boots and white spats.
The Colours are carried by two officers in the middle, the Queen’s Colour nearest, with ten battle honours emblazoned, from WW1. The blue Regimental Colour has the 21 battle honours accrued between 1801 and 1902. These Colours were presented to the regiment In Calcutta in 1923 and were carried on parade until HM Queen Elizabeth presented them with new Colours in 1955.
