British Regimental Sporran of Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, The Duke of Albany's)
Approx. 18" x 7". White horsehair body with black horsehair tassels and leather body. Brass and painted leather cantle with brass regimental badge.
Formed by the amalgamation of the 72nd and 78th Regiments of foot during the British Army's 1881 Childer's Reforms, it was named for Kenneth McKenzie, 1st Earl of Seaforth, who had initially raised the 72nd Regiment. Soon after its reorganization, the regiment was sent to Egypt, where it participated in the Battle of Tel el-Kabir. It would continue to see service in Africa and the Mediterranean, being present at the Occupation of Crete as well as engaging in the Battles of Atbara and Omdurman during the Reconquest of The Sudan. The Second Boer Wars would be costly for the regiment, as they took heavy casualties at the Battle of Magersfontein in 1899 and further engaging Boer forces at the Battle of Paardeberg in 1900.
The First World War would place the Seaforth Highlanders in the thick of the fighting on both fronts. The 1st Battalion would serve in the Mediterranean, facing the Ottoman Empire at the disastrous Siege of Kut, a defeat they would revenge a year later at the Siege of Baghdad. The 1st Battalion would see the conclusion of the war during the Palestine Campaign. The 2nd Battalion saw extensive action on the Western Front, participating in some of the most infamous battles in history, including the Battles of the Marne, Aisnes, Second Ypres, the Somme, Arras, Passchendale, and the Lys, and the Hindenburg Line.
The regiment's battalions were split during the Second World War, with the 1st Battalion being sent to Burma. The 2nd and 4th Battalions were captured at Saint-Valery-en-Caux during the Battle of France and were subsequently reconstituted with elements of the 5th battalion. This newly formed battalion served throughout the war in North Africa as well as participating in Operation Overlord. The regiments 6th and 7th Territorial Battalions were transferred to the Regular Army, serving in Sicily, Itlay, and Northwest Europe.
In 1961, the Seaforth Highlanders merged with the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders to form the Queen's Own Highlanders (Seaforth and Camerons).
Eight Victoria Crosses were awarded to members of the regiment, seven of which were for action in the First World War.
Condition:
Good. Horsehair has good volume with tassels pulling on the holes on the rear of the piece. Some tarnish to metal arts and imperfections on painted leather surface. Leather is soft and shows minimal drying or cracking. Some of the stitching on rear loops has pulled out.
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