Scottish Highland Light Infantry Other Ranks Shako

The Scottish Highland Light Infantry (HLI) Other Ranks Shako from 1912 would have been part of the regiment’s dress before the transition to steel helmets and more practical headgear during World War I.

Details of a 1912 HLI Other Ranks Shako:

Style: Dark blue cloth-covered shako with a stiffened body, reflecting the traditional British infantry shako design.

Badge: Would have featured the HLI regimental cap badge, typically a star with a central device showing St. Andrew’s Cross and a thistle motif.

Chinstrap: Leather or brass, depending on rank and formality of dress.

Peak: Blackened leather with a slight curve.

Plume/Pom: May have had a regimental plume or hackle, depending on dress regulations.

Lining: Possibly a leather sweatband with a manufacturer’s stamp, sometimes with date markings.

Historical Context: The Highland Light Infantry had a unique status, as it was a Highland regiment but wore trews instead of kilts in full dress.

By 1914, the regiment transitioned to the more practical service dress, and shakos were largely phased out.