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In 1908 the Lothians and Berwickshire Imperial Yeomanry were transferred to the Territorial Force and renamed The Lothians & Border Horse. Under the Territorial & Reserve Forces Act 1907, the Territorial Force was intended for home defence during wartime and members could not be compelled to...

The Childers Reforms introduced to the British Army in 1881 created larger regiments each comprising two regular battalions which would allow for one to serve at home whilst the other served abroad, often in India. At the same time, it was decided that a new elite regiment of Rifles should be...

The 3rd Lanarkshire Rifle Volunteers (3rd LRV) were a remarkable regiment based in the south side of Glasgow. They were noted for their skill in shooting, twice having won Britain’s greatest trophy for marksmanship, The Queen’s Prize at Bisley (the national shooting ground in Surrey, England)...

Edinburgh, as the capital city of Scotland, has a long history of Militia units which would be too extensive to detail in this short description. The Militia was part-time military service with the members being called out at a time of war or other national requirement. The main distinction...

Militia units had been raised in Scotland for centuries mostly for a home defence role as a reaction to short term emergencies. The Militia Act of 1852 was passed during a period of international tension to enable the raising of units within counties. These were to be filled on a voluntary basis...

The Highland Light Infantry (nicknamed ‘Hells Last Issue’) were a light infantry regiment of the British Army formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 71st (Highland) Light Infantry (as the 1st Battalion) and the 74th (Highland) Regiment of Foot (as the 2nd Battalion). The 71st had been...

I recently managed to add this 1847 pattern ‘Albert’ officer’s helmet of the Queens Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry to my collection – I already have another with the dark green cock-feather plume but this has the black horse hair version. I pictured my first helmet and outlined the history of this...

The Royal Scots Fusiliers were one of the oldest line infantry regiments of the British Army existing from 1678 until 1959. They were initially raised by Charles Erskine, the 5th Earl of Mar, in 1678 and were titled ‘The Earl of Mar’s Regiment’ as at that time regiments would be named after...

The 5th Volunteer Battalion of The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) had a lineage that stretched from 1862 but they were disbanded rather ingloriously in 1897. Their history began with the formation of the 4th Administrative Battalion, Lanarkshire Rifle Volunteers on 14 May 1862. This was...

The M33 helmet, designated Elmetto Modello 1933 in Italian, was the standard combat helmet of the Italian forces during the Second World War with the design remaining in use until circa 1992. The Italian army had previously worn the French Adrian helmet from their entry into the First World War...

The 1st Administrative Battalion, Berwickshire Rifle Volunteers was formed in November 1863. Berwickshire is a historic county in south-eastern Scotland bordering England which is known for its coastline, agriculture and the Lammermuir Hills. The county is named after Berwick-upon-Tweed but this...

The Cameronians are unique within the British Army as they were the only regiment to have had a religious foundation. Their origin lies in the religious conflict between the perceived English Episcopal (and latterly Catholic) doctrine and practises of the Stuart Kings, Charles II and James II &...

The Royal Scots, the 1st Regiment of Foot and holders of the coveted position at the right of the line were the oldest regiment in the British Army and the senior regiment of infantry. They were formed in 1633 when Sir John Hepburn, under a Royal Warrant granted by King Charles I, raised...

A meeting of prominent Glasgow residents was held in the city in August 1848 which proposed forming a new corps of Volunteer Cavalry. As Lanarkshire and Ayrshire already supported their own yeomanry regiments, it was probably felt that a city of such importance as Glasgow should do likewise...

I have owned this Prussian M1915 pickelhaube for many years. Whilst examples of this type are fairly common, I've always thought that this one appeared complete and original. It is likely to be a 'conversion' looking at its liner and its 1914 date stamp, but the fittings are the correct M1915...

1871 pattern officers helmet of the Royal Horse Guards, with the skull in silver and the helmet plate in gilt surmounted by the ER II pattern crown, a wreath of laurel leaves to the right hand side, oak leaves to the left and the figure of St George on horseback slaying a dragon at the bottom...

The Lothians & Berwickshire Yeomanry Cavalry were formed in 1888 and consisted of two troops from East Lothian, one from Berwickshire and one from Midlothian before being joined by a troop from West Lothian in 1892. In 1899 the War Office announced the formation of a new force of mounted...

The county of East Lothian lies to the south of the Firth of Forth in the eastern central lowlands of Scotland. It borders Edinburgh to the west, Midlothian to the south-west and the Scottish Borders to the south. Its administrative centre is the town of Haddington, indeed the county was called...

The regular Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) regiment was formed in 1881 under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 26th Cameronian Regiment and the 90th Perthshire Light Infantry. It can trace its roots to that of the Cameronians, later the 26th of Foot, who were raised in 1689. The...

The police in West Berlin showed their revised uniform in the Olympic Stadium on 30 September 1951. A black shako was now worn with the shako star plate and national cockade. The plate featured the Berlin coat of arms which was introduced in 1934 with the so-called 'wall crown'and rounded bottom...