"VBCW Highlanders, kilt or no kilt?" Topic

As it says really, i would like to create a Company of the Liverpool Scottish Battalion using the Early War Highlanders from Musketeer miniatures to take on the Liverpool dockers militia. Should I paint them home service in Kilt, or should they be wearing the Khaki apron, very much as they appeared on the Western Front?

Cheers guys any advice or pointers appreciated.

The choice is yours, its your VBCW…..

I can't see why Liverpool Scottish would be fighting the Liverpool Dockers? But its your VBCW.

This maybe of help if you haven't seen it. It does tell you which tartan you need to paint :)

link

Thanks for the feedback, especially the weblink. I was assuming it would be seen as civil unrest so local crown forces would be used. According to the various timelines, i'm just dipping toe into the period coming from Spanish Civil war, Liverpool is generally proposed to have become a free Independent City.

1st and 2nd Battalions of the Kings were on foreign service, NW frontier I think, so for my scenario the territorial battalions are called in, recently having received colours from King George, hence assumed to be "pro royal". Although I agree some may have gone over to join the dockers.

Don't know if it's an urban myth but evidently the Navy were possibly moored on the Mersey with orders to bombard Liverpool if the situation worsened during the General strike.Sio thinking of using possible naval landings as a starting point for forces.

I'm just beginning to look into this but it is interesting for me local history.

Checking out the figures it does look like without kilt, plus it saves on the eyestrain

Check out the pre-1939 photo at the bottom of this web page:

link

Cheers
Mark

Cheers, ok kilts it is, the Musketeer minis are wearing the side cap as opposed to Tam o shanter but are simply too good not to use, maybe a couple of head swaps with Warlord Bolt Action heads.

Fantsatic resource Dropship, many thanks

You canna use High'landers wi'out the kilt, laddie – 'tis not natural

Johny,

I think it was Ramillies in the Mersey. One regular battalion of the Kings was in, or on its way to Gibraltar. The other as you say on the NW Frontier (I think they later became part of the original Chindit expedition, but thats another story..).

The depot company was at Seaforth barracks, I think it would have been these that would have been called out in the original sourcebook. Anyway, they "turned" from government to pro the people, kickstarting the formation of the Liverpool Free State. Whose original intention was to batten down the hatches in seclusion and sit it out but the governement and BUF had other ideas.

Heres a couple of links to sites giving you the forces in the North West in 38 and 39. They're good for seeing what TA units there were and where they were based.

link

link

link

This is about the BEF in France but is a good source of the military mindset of the period.

link

This maybe of use for the BUF;

PDF link

Have you done a search on GWP for LFS and/or Liverpool?

If you don't put kilts on them, then, well, there could be consequences.

I plan to use the new Pulp Figures kilted highlanders by Bob Murch as part of my Albertine contingent – using Cameron tartan for Ottawa Highlanders.

Full Kilt inspection……. Ok you guys win, kilts it is for the Liverpool Scottish, I'm sending off for some Musketeer minis sample packs, I know they would be attached to the Queens Own Cameron Highlanders by 1938, I'm assuming they would have adapted the Regiment's tartan. However I really like the original Forbes tartan so i'll be having a crack at this one.

Also going to use the Musketeer Black and Tans as Liverpool Irish detachment.

Well, on a side note, it seems Captain Keens' regiment has a dedicated re-enactment society!

3rdfootandmouth.yolasite.com

Back on topic, how good is your painting of tartan kilts? That maybe the decider!

I thought the Liverpool Scottish Wore Hodden Grey?

Spontoon, thanks for heads up on this, can you give me more detail on this as I'm a newbie to the whole VBCW period and would like to get detail right wherever possible. Hodden Grey battle dress?

I was using the Liverpool Scottish online museum resource as a starting point,

link

Dropship Horizon's excellent photo source and the museum suggest standard issue khaki battle dress with regimental kilt, i'm not 100 percent sure if in 1938 when the Liverpool Scottish were absorbed into the Queen's Own Cameron as to whether they adapted their tartan or kept their original Forbes pattern. For my figures, simply on the grounds I really like it, they will be wearing the Forbes tartan. Many thanks

I thought the Liverpool Scottish Wore Hodden Grey?

London Scottish!

The Liverpool Scottish online museum does mention Forbes pattern in use after the amalgamation.

Cheers
Mark

I stand corrected! Must have confused them with the Toronto Scottish!

Since there's a German National Tartan ( red, gold, black) perhaps you could have a battalion in the British Fascist forces!