The Pipe Major of the 1st Battalion The Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons) posed for these photos for Regiment magazine in 1999. The silver ornaments on his black shoulder belt are the regimental badge of the Seaforth and Camerons on a circular wreath. The buckle is a different pattern to the other pipers. Below this is the badge of the Gordons and a further unidentified badge below the slide and tip. The ornate waist-belt clasp (Seaforth & Camerons) and the shoulder plaid brooch (Gordons) are further indications of his rank. The embroidered badges on his right sleeve are, from the top; a regimental appointment badge worn by the Drum Major and Pipe Major. It is from the Gordon Highlanders, a stag’s head in a coronet within a wreath of ivy, this being the crest of the Marquess of Huntly, and the motto ‘Bydand’ meaning steadfast. Below that is a Pipe Major’s badge of bagpipes within a wreath of thistles. His rank badge is the Queen’s crown over four gold lace chevrons.
He has an ornate pipe-major’s dirk with silver fittings and cairngorms on the hilt of the dirk and the small knife and fork. The dirk is suspended from a black waist-belt worn over a green no.1 dress doublet which has gold lace on the collar, cuffs and skirts. Gold braid forms button loops on the cuffs and skirts and the base of the collar. The buttons are stay-bright diamond-shaped but the small buttons on the shoulder are round, securing the entwined gold and black shoulder cords of the Gordons. The elephant badges on the collar are in gilding metal, being one of the Seaforth badges. The cantle on his sporran is a silver version of the officer’s cantle with the addition of the traditional three knobs worn by pipers. The right-hand picture shows the Pipe Major in ceremonial livery dress that means he has buckled shoes worn without the white spats. This order of dress would be worn when playing for the commanding officer of the battalion in the officer’s mess. The tartan kilt and plaid are of the Cameron of Erracht sett.
The pipe banner has battle honours emblazoned on the obverse side. These were added after 1994 when the Gordons amalgamated with the QO Highlanders. A Pipe Major 1990 of the Gordon Highlanders shows battle honours on the pipe banner, but the Pipe Major of the QO Highlanders photographed in Orkney in 1990 shows a pipe banner with a Union flag but no battle honours.
