Kilt : Private F A Henley, 4th South African Infantry Battalion, South African Expeditionary Force Accession Number: RELAWM09036.001

Description

4th South African (Scottish) Infantry Battalion Murray of Athol pattern tartan wool kilt. A pair of black painted metal buckles and short brown leather straps fasten the kilt on the right side. '16889 F.A.HENLEY is written in purple indelible pencil on the wide band of white woollen material that forms the lining of the waistband. The top of the waist is bound with green worsted tape. The remains of a maker's paper label are stuck to the inside of the right side near the bottom. Most of the details on it are illegible.

Contextual Description

Worn by 16899 Private Frank Archibald Henley, 4th South African (Scottish) Infantry, South African Expeditionary Force. He served on the Western Front and was taken prisoner of war by the Germans in April 1918 who took most of his original kit. He was presumably issued with this uniform on his release. In a letter dated 4 November 1938, in response to questions about his unit's uniform, Private Henley provided the following details, 'No sporran was worn during active service, not officially issued; khaki aprons were only issued in France to protect from mud [he was not re-issued with one when he was released]; If I remember rightly we wore leather equipment, walking out dress would be as you state, belt, bayonet frog, but no bayonet, unless on picket duty; swagger cane was optional but usually used; As far as my memory serves me after all the years, the equipment was leather belt, shoulder straps, with webbing haversack, valise: bayonet frog and entrenching tool case, I think but would not be sure on this point were also leather, as were the ammunition pouches; The position of hose tops & ankle puttees were the same as Imperial Scottish Regiments'. With regard to the title of his unit he wrote, 'Either title would be correct. South Africa only had one Brigade, 1st, 2nd, 3rd wore ordinary uniforms & the 4th kilts, sometimes we were addressed as 4th S.A. Infantry & sometimes S.A. Scottish, altho (sic) the latter, I think was more commonly used'.