The age of this drummer/bugler is not known but he was probably the son of a serving soldier in the regiment. As with the painting of a drummer c1905, this boy does not have his drum for this order of dress. The bugle is strung with cords of the royal colours, red yellow and blue, with tassels of that colour attached to the bugle. His sporran has a black cantle with a silver regimental badge of St Andrew. The main difference with the 1905 postcard image is that he has a dirk attached to his waist-belt. There was a tradition in the army that drummers carried a short sword, more ornamental than useful; the dirk would have been considered to be a suitable alternative for Highland drummers.
