The Gordons


Officers, Ceremonial Dress 1955


Full dress uniform had disappeared from the army except for the Guards and certain bands. The best that most units could manage was khaki battledress, but the coronation in 1952 forced the army to introduce a smart uniform which was called number one dress. For most regiments the tunic was dark blue, but for Highland regiments the new uniform was a piper green waist length doublet. Although it is waist length at the front, there is a short skirt at the back with yellow turn-backs, buttons and pleats, quite similar to the jacket discontinued by kilted regiments a hundred years earlier in 1855.

The officer in the middle is in ceremonial dress for a parade while the hatless officer on the right is in levee dress for evening functions. He has buckled shoes and hose instead of spats and heavy shoes. The officer on the left is in what has come to be called no.1B dress. His claymore is slung from a waist-belt rather than the wide shoulder-belt. He has no red sash on his left shoulder, and his shoulder straps are of matching material instead of gold/black cord. It is difficult to tell from this photo whether the collar badges are metal or gold embroidered.

The goat-hair sporran was replaced by the small white purse worn by all ranks. This was an unpopular item that lasted a decade or so and has since been put aside in favour of the old type. The Tam o'Shanter bonnet was taken into wear but in dark blue with diced band in red, white and green.


Uniforms | Regimental Details


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by Stephen Luscombe