Posted on 12/18/2006 11:55:17 AM PST by Cagey
EDINBURGH, Scotland (AP) - More than 5,000 Scottish soldiers are having to share ceremonial kilts because defence chiefs have yet to finalize a contract to buy enough to go around, military officials said Monday.
The men, who face regular tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, have just 320 kilts among them, or one for every 15 soldiers. Combat troops wore the traditional Highland skirt in battle as late as the First World War, but now the plaid kilts are used as part of ceremonial uniform.
New kilts are needed for all Scottish soldiers following the August merger of centuries-old regiments into a single Royal Regiment of Scotland.
"A planned deployment of kilts will be agreed with the Royal Regiment of Scotland on a rollout basis with . . . the full program being completed by January 2008," a Defence Ministry spokesman said Monday.
One can only hope they are not sharing them concurrently.
I wonder if they are also "short" of the traditional undergarment :)
If there's not enough cloth "to go around" then maybe Scottish soldiers should go on a diet.
I'll make my own, thanks.
Well, a Scotsman clad in kilt once left a bar one evening fair,
And one could tell by how he walked that he'd drunk more than his share.
He fumbled 'round until he could no longer keep his feet.
Then he stumbled off into the grass to sleep beside the street.
Ring ding diddle iddle i de o,
Ring die diddley i o.
He stumbled off into the grass to sleep beside the street..
About that time two young and lovely girls just happened by.
One said to the other with a twinkle in her eye.
See yon bonnie Scotsman so fine and handsome built.
I wonder if it's true what they don't wear beneath the kilt.
Ring ding diddle iddle i de o,
Ring die diddley i o.
I wonder if it's true what they don't wear beneath the kilt.
They crept up on that sleeping Scotsman quiet as could be,
Lifted up his kilt about an inch so they could see.
And there behold for them to view beneath his Scottish skirt,
Was nothing more than God had graced him with upon his birth.
Ring ding diddle iddle i de o,
Ring die diddley i o.
Was nothing more than God had graced him with upon his birth.
They marveled for a moment and then said we must be gone.
Let's leave a present for our friend before we move along.
As a gift they left a blue silk ribbon tied into a bow,
Around the bonnie star the Scot's kilt did lift and show.
Ring ding diddle iddle i de o,
Ring die diddley i o.
Around the bonnie star the Scot's kilt did lift and show.
Now the Scotsman woke to nature's call and stumbled toward the trees.
Behind the bush he lifts his kilt and gawks at what he sees.
And in a startled voice he says to what's before his eyes,
Oh! lad I don't know where you've been but I see you won first prize.
Ring ding diddle iddle i de o,
Ring die diddley i o.
Oh! lad I don't know where you've been but I see you won first prize.
I hear those critters love Scottish wool...
And here's the song:
http://cymric11.tripod.com/id2.html
Error No. 1: A kilt is not a "skirt." It's made in a completely different way, and it will not fit a lady. That's why they make "tartan day skirts" for women.
Error No. 2: "Plaid" is not a pattern or color. It's a garment (the square of fabric now worn folded over the shoulder, formerly joined to the kilt, which was known at the time as the "belted plaid.") The pattern is referred to as "tartan."
This information is common knowledge and available to everybody, including reporters, not just those of us who belong to pipe bands or Scottish Country Dance Society chapters . . .
Of course, we've seen the like before . . . if you're near the dancing platform or the athletic field at a highland games, you'll get fairly bored with the spectacle. One bum looks pretty much like another . . . assuming of course the owner is in fairly decent physical condition, and if he's dancing or engaging in athletic contests, usually so . . .
Hot Kilting !
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