Black Watch Cap Badge

[Garry Shipton (RIP)]

Karmen,I'll ask aroud here in Montreal.A lot of my friends in various pipe bands I've been in, are ex Watch.Saw a bunch of them at Robbie Burns nite.As a matter of fact I'll call my buddy Joe Hayes today who's in the Black Wath Associationabout a badge.
The Hackle is a red tuft of feathers formed in a ball type shape worn on the left side of the black balmoral,It represents a battle honor(not sure which one-can't remember at the moment,whereby the regiment defeated the french.The red tuft(hackle) was worn at the top front of the Shako helmet from the french regiment they defeated.
Black Watch Badge-This metal badge is only worn when wearing the glengarry hat.In the summer when the pipe band wears white doublets(jackets)they wear the glen.I have seen officers on parade wearing the glen with the badge and wearing black Watch trews(pants).
Black Watch Dishonor.The front of the white spats they wear have an i V cut into the toe part of the spats.This symbolism is to remind the regiment of Waterloo,whereby,they were the only regiment there to have thier square(a defensive formation against cavalry) broken by the french during their charge