3-066-115 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The Scottish Volunteers: Border Rifles - group of officers (Undress), 1881. British Army soldiers. 'The Border Riflemen still adhere to their original uniform as regards its material - a steel-grey cloth, which they may be said to make for themselves, either at Galashiels or Selkirk. It was adopted as one of the Government patterns (No. 6537), and, with the brown leather belts, which are worn, it is considered to make a very serviceable and at the same time soldier-like uniform - more suitable for a Volunteer corps, though, of course, less showy than the scarlet, which has now become so general...Many years ago they adopted as an undress forage cap the blue bonnet of the Scottish lowlands - a head-dress eminently distinctive of the locality, and known by various names, amongst others, as the "Kelso Bonnet".' From "Illustrated London News", 1881.