Dear Marc.
Very many thanks for your short but very convincing thought about the "Government Tartan" as the reason for the wearing of this Tartan by the Army Apprentice School/College.
Being someone who lives even more southern than the south of England and having just looked up the meaning and reasoning of the "Government Tartan" on the web I think you may well be correct and I am more than happy to accept this reason.
As an ex member of a Regiment that wore the Grant Tartan this regiment had a reason for doing so based on affiliation to the Lord Strathspey who gave permission for this Tartan to be worn as the then Clan Chief of the Clan Grant.
I hope the reasoning for the Government Tartan is what it may well be and as I have said above am happy to accept this in the absence of any further information to my request at this time.
Many thanks
Chris Walker
www.signalsbadges.co.uk