This detail from a recruitment poster for the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders includes the Pipe Major, or Sergeant Piper as he was officially designated after being downgraded in 1881. He is distinguished from the other pipers that he commands by having gold lace on his collar, cuffs and shoulder wings as well as four gold chevrons on his right sleeve. The shoulder wings had been added to his green doublet at some stage between 1895 and 1906. The other pipers have white lace stripes on their wings. The plaid brooch is a silver Sphinx inside a thistle wreath, as worn by the officers. He has a distinctive cantle on his sporran, unique to the sergeant piper. He is in livery dress which means that he has buckled shoes instead of boots and spats.
The illustration gives a good view of the pipe banner. It is blue with a Union flag in the top corner and a central device of the crowned thistle over LXXIX inside a circlet bearing the regimental title. This is surrounded by a wreath of thistles and roses and topped with a King’s Crown. Below is the Sphinx and EGYPT. There are 12 other battle honours visible but a photo of a pipe banner in 1907 shows 18 honours plus Egypt. The piper is wearing medals for service in the Sudan and South Africa.
