Help with my Old Soldier please

[turenne]

I have a feeling that the 'swagger stick' that he is holding wouldn't be standard issue for private soldiers, they were normally borne by officers. I'd guess that he borrowed it for the (excellently tidied up) photo.

Richard

[Lydart]

So we now know about spats ... what was the use of 'swagger sticks' ... or just 'for show' !!

[Debbie in B.C.]

I would imagine that Wee Geordie insisted that have a swagger stick.... He was not very tall, but he was the boss of the family!  (LOL)

[turenne]

Lydart wrote:

...what was the use of 'swagger sticks' ... or just 'for show' !!

Nowadays, just for show, but originally as a symbol of authority. They are usually made of cane or malacca. Cavalry officers carry riding crops instead of swagger sticks.

Debbie's uncle would have got into quite a lot of trouble if he'd been found carrying one in public, but it does set off his HLI uniform!

BTW. When David Niven volunteered for the army at the beginning of the war, he insisted on joining a Scottish regiment. When asked - 'Which regiment?' He replied - 'Anything but the HLI'.....Which regiment do you think he was posted to? 

Richard

[turenne]

P.S. Just in case anyone thought I was disparaging the HLI.

The regiment wore trews in WWII and didn't wear the kilt. It was one of the reasons why David Niven, on passing out of Sandhurst, listed his preferred regiments as:-

1) Black Watch
2) Argyll & Sutherlands
3) Anything but the HLI

Unfortunately for Niven, his preferences followed him along with his posting!

Richard

 

[Malin]

I never realised how much like Geordie his son John looked.

He was the boss of the family after Greta!

[genechaser]

Here is another try

[jim1]

He'd have scrubbed up looking something like this.

[Debbie in B.C.]

Beautiful!!!!  Thank you so much!!