HLI Balmoral??

[Snowdrop 68]

This isn't mine but a friend asked for some advice. I am not sure of period it would have been worn and not even sure if it's HLI as I would have thought it would have been rife green.

Can anyone help with dating it and letting me know if it's HLI or just a Scottish hat?

Thanks in advance, Bill

[Home Guard]

It is a Highland Light Infantry Badge, but beyond that I cannot offer much help.

Terry

[JerryBB]

I remember seeing images that show the HLI Balmoral with a diced band, not plain

[Snowdrop 68]

Thanks for the replies. I have also seen the HLI balmoral with dicing around it. I think this one is just put together for the collector to buy.

Thanks again, Bill

[cbuehler]

All is not lost as it could possibly be for the Cameronians, not the HLI. Is the body of the cap and dark blue or dark green, and is the toorie black or what? At any rate, it is certainly an older Balmoral, more than fifty years at least.

CB

[Snowdrop 68]

Hi CB,

That was one of my first thoughts too but it's black or dark blue not green.

Bill

[Reid10]

I am sorry for being late to the discussion. Work has kept me very busy. Jerry and Bill are absolutely right that the 6th Volunteer Battalion of the HLI wore a diced balmoral with a blue toorie. As far as I am aware, it was also the only unit that used a dark blue toorie, but I need to do more research before I am 100% sure of this. A great discussion on this particular headgear can be found on the The Great War (1914-1918) Forum at this link:
https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/...ry-ww1/page/3/

I was able to acquire what I think is a 6th BN, HLI balmoral (see attached), but have not been able to find the correct badge yet. It is not in the best of shape but, if it is an original bonnet for the unit, it would be a bit suspect if it was. The battalion's cap badge resembled the regular HLI badge, but instead of "Assaye" on the scroll, it read South Africa 1900-02. The lug holes on my bonnet are 4.5cm apart, which is wider that the normal HLI badge, but fits the 6th VB badge. It may also fit the blank scroll HLI worn by the Volunteer units. Now I just have to find one or the other! They are not cheap and many have the scroll scratched out by members who transferred to the regular HLI battalions.

One possibility is that the bonnet Bill showed is for a Canadian unit, though I have not seen or read about a unit with a solid blue bonnet with blue toorie. Without additional evidence, I learn toward this being a civilian bonnet. I have seen very high-quality glengarries that were very old with dark blue or black toories also. All were confirmed as not being military.