HLI Chronicle 1907 - The Royal Highland Fusiliers

The Shoulder Belt Plates of the
71st (now 1st H.L.I.).
IT is probably well known that in Highland
Regiments, unlike other Regiments of the
Line, the sword has always been suspended
from a shoulder belt. * This belt was at first
of black leather, and ornamented with large
steel or plated buckle, tip, and slide, these
heing superseded in some corps in the seventies
of the eighteenth century by a regimental
breast plate. It does not appear that a belt
plate was adopted by the 7lst, then the 73rd,
when raised in 1777, for in a portrait of Colonel
the Hon. George 'Mackenzie he is to be found
HIGHLAND LIGH:I' INFAl'iTRY CHRONICLE. 51
LXXI
D};SIGN IN SHOOTING MEUAL, lS01.
on a regimental shooting medal of 1801, and
corresponds to what was worn on the 'breast
plate of a number of other Scottish corps.
We find either the thistle, or the Star of the
Thistle, and regimental number and title, on
their breast plates. This possibly fairly
OFFICER'S PLATE. CIRCA 1786.
wearing the black belt, with buckle, tip, and
slide, but no plate. However, before 1786, the
belt plate, which is still an important item in
the appointments of Highland regiments, and
whic~ has lately been read opted by Lowland
Scottlsh corps, after a lapse of about fifty years,
came into use in the 73rd, and the first cut
illustrates this silver, engraved plate.
The Regiment was constituted the 7lst in
1786, but it is difficult to say when the plate
was changed, as the Regiment remained in
India till 1798. It is also impossible to more
than conjecture what design was next adopted.
The second cut represents the design engraved
* Company O~\ler's ~lt.
OFFICF,>t'S BELT .I'LATE, 1809·l8H.