Regimental Cap Badges of the Volunteer Battalions of the Gordon Highlanders 1860 - 1908

The following images show the regimental cap badges of the Volunteer Battalions of the Gordon Highlanders during the Victorian and early Edwardian Era 1860 - 1908. St. Andrew appears to have been a common element in several early badges. For those who are either knowledgeable and/or members of the Gordon Clan, it should be recognized that the early cap badge of the 6th Volunteer Battalion, is very similar to the common civilian Clan Gordon badge.

In the cap badges of the 4th Aberdeenshire Rifle Volunteers and its successor, the 4th (Donside Highland) Volunteer Battalion, the Gordon Highlanders, a cock is featured as the central element of the  badge. "Cock o' the North" was the regimental quick march of the Gordon Highlanders, officially adopted in 1932. It was long associated with the Marquess of Huntly, Chief of the Clan Gordon, who is always referred to as "Cock o' the North" at all Clan official functions. Pre-dating its official adaptation, "Cock o' the North" was played by Piper George Findlater VC during the famous charge of the Gordon Highlanders in capturing the Heights of Dragai, in India, 20 October 1897.

As seen on the other page in this blog depicting their uniforms (http://arnhemjim.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2013-04-04T14:03:00-07:00&max-results=7&start=1&by-date=false), there were additional Volunteer Battalions of the Gordon Highlanders, and even more than shown in the uniform plates, however these badges represent known identified specimens. With full acknowledgement and gratitude to the Scottish Military History Website (See Links on this blog).

1st Aberdeenshire Rifle Volunteers 1860 - 1880
Other Rank's Shako Badge (Brass)

!st Aberdeenshire Rifle Volunteers 1860 - 1880
Officer's Silver Glengarry Badge

1st Aberdeenshire Rifle Volunteers 1860 - 1880
Other Rank's Glengarry Badge (Brass)

2nd Aberdeenshire Rifle Volunteers 1880 - 1884
Glengarry Badge (White Metal)

4th Aberdeenshire Rifle Volunteers 1880 - 1884
Officer's Glengarry Badge (Silver)

4th (Donside Highland) Volunteer Battalion, The Gordon Highlanders
1893 - 1908  Officer's Glengarry Badge (Silver)

6th Volunteer Battalion, The Gordon Highlanders 1884 - 1891
Officer's Glengarry Badge (Silver) 

6th Volunteer Battalion, The Gordon Highlanders 1884 - 1891
Other Rank's Glengarry Badge (White Metal) 

6th Volunteer Battalion, The Gordon Highlanders 1891 - 1908
Other Rank's Glengarry Badge (White Metal) 

Other Volunteer Battalions of Scottish Regiments of the British Army 1860 - 1908

In his book titled; Records of the Scottish Volunteer Force 1859 - 1908, Lt. Gen. Sir James Moncrieff Grierson, KCB, CVO, CMG,ADC (both artist and author), McLagan & Cumming, Edinburgh, 1908, presented all significant volunteer battalions of the Scottish regiments of the British Army during the Victorian Era.

Previously presented on this blog were plates depicting the volunteer battalions of the Gordon Highlanders. In this post I would like to add to those, the remaining plates of Lt.Gen Sir James Grierson’s superlative talents, depicting the balance of the volunteer battalions. 

Even with the significant presence of the grey and Loden cloth, and a smattering of khaki from the Boer War, it is hard to realize that in less than a decade these uniforms would be essentially lost forever, replaced by Brodie steel helmets, khaki webbed equipment, and respirators.

Please double click on any of the images to enlarge them.