The hackle is a clipped feather plume that is attached to a military headdress.
In the British Army and the armies of some Commonwealth countries, the hackle is worn by some infantry regiments, especially those designated as fusilier regiments and those with Scottish and Northern Irish origins. The colour of the hackle varies from regiment to regiment.
The modern hackle has its origins in a much longer plume, originally referred to by its Scots name, heckle, which was commonly attached to the feather bonnet worn by Highland regiments (now usually only worn by drummers, pipers and bandsmen). The smaller version originated in a regimental emblem adopted by the 42nd Royal Highland Regiment, to be worn in the sun helmet issued in hot-weather postings from the 1870s.
In the modern British Army, there is a single regiment of fusiliers, plus a battalion of a large regiment. Hackle colours are:
Royal Regiment of Fusiliers: Red over whiteRoyal Highland Fusiliers (a battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland): WhiteOther ranks of the Royal Welsh; the regiment that was formed by the amalgamation of the Royal Welch Fusiliers and Royal Regiment of Wales, continue to wear the white hackle of the Royal Welch Fusiliers.
There were several other fusilier regiments which have been amalgamated and no longer exist. The hackle colours worn were as follows:
Lancashire Fusiliers: Primrose yellowRoyal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment): WhiteRoyal Inniskilling Fusiliers: GreyRoyal Irish Fusiliers: GreenRoyal Northumberland Fusiliers: Red over WhiteRoyal Scots Fusiliers: WhiteRoyal Warwickshire Fusiliers: Blue over Old Gold (Orange)Royal Welch Fusiliers: WhiteRoyal Munster Fusiliers: White over GreenRoyal Dublin Fusiliers: Green over BlueNon-fusilier regiments which wear the hackle are:
Irish Guards (pipers on caubeen only): St Patrick's blueLiverpool Scottish (now a platoon of A (Ladysmith) Company, 4th Bn Duke of Lancaster's Regiment): Royal blueLiverpool Irish (now A Troop of 208 Battery, 103rd Regiment Royal Artillery): Blue over redLondon Irish Rifles (now D (London Irish Rifles) Company, London Regiment): Green [Pipers wear St Patrick's blue]Royal Irish Regiment (as the direct descendent of two regiments of fusiliers): GreenRoyal Scots Dragoon Guards (on pipers' feather bonnet in Full Dress, pipers' / drummers' glengarry /atholl bonnet in No.1 and No.2 dress): WhiteRoyal Welsh (Other Ranks only): WhiteScots Guards (pipers on feather bonnet only): Blue over redThe Queen's University Officers' Training Corps: St Patrick's Blue (A Coy Caubeen Only)Royal Air Force (pipe band only): BlueRoyal Regiment of Scotland
Following the amalgamation of the regiments of the Scottish Division to form The Royal Regiment of Scotland on 28 March 2006, the following hackles are being worn by the regiment's constituent battalions:
Royal Scots Borderers (1 SCOTS): BlackRoyal Highland Fusiliers (2 SCOTS): WhiteBlack Watch (3 SCOTS): RedThe Highlanders (4 SCOTS): BlueArgyll and Sutherland Highlanders (5 SCOTS): Green52nd Lowland Regiment (6 SCOTS): Grey51st Highland Regiment (7 SCOTS): PurpleWhilst the white hackle of 2 SCOTS, red hackle of 3 SCOTS and blue hackle of 4 SCOTS have a known ancestry, the origin of 1 SCOTS black hackle and 5 SCOTS green hackle are not clear and have no apparent precedent. It may be that the black hackle of 1 SCOTS simulates the black-cock tail feathers originally worn in the 1904 pattern Kilmarnock Bonnet and latterly in the regimental Glengarry Cap by the Royal Scots and King's Own Scottish Borderers, who merged in August 2006 to form 1 SCOTS. Alternatively, it may be a sympathetic gesture to a former Lowland regiment, the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), who went into 'suspended animation' in 1968 (and later disbanded), who wore a black hackle in their rifle green dress Balmoral. The adoption of the green hackle now being worn by the Argylls battalion (5 SCOTS) is no doubt a continuation of that regiment's association with the colour green, most prominent in the hue of their regimental kilts and stripes on their regimental association ties. (It is, however, worthy of note that in the 19th Century, all line regiments of the British Army used to designate their "light company" with a green hackle.) The Regimental Band of the Royal Regiment of Scotland does not wear the hackle. However, the Highland Band of the Royal Regiment of Scotland (Territorial Army) continues to wear the red hackle with the Tam o' Shanter. Tradition holds that the black hackle originated as a Scottish tradition of wearing a black feather in your hat to signify you have an ongoing quarrel with someone.
Former non-fusilier regiments, now amalgamated, which also wore the hackle were:
40 (Ulster) Regiment, Royal Corps of Signals: Navy blue, sky blue and green.Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders: (feather bonnet only - Drummers and Drum Major): WhiteArgyll and Sutherland Highlanders: (Pipers only) Black Cock FeatherBlack Watch: RedThe Cameronians (Scottish Rifles): BlackGordon Highlanders: Feather bonnet only - Drummers and Drum Major: White, Bandsmen: Red and WhiteGordon Highlanders: (Pipers only) Black Cock FeatherHighland Light Infantry: White over redThe Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons): Royal blueThe Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons): (feather bonnet only - Drummers and Drum Major) WhiteThe Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons): (Pipers only) Eagle featherQueen's Own Cameron Highlanders: Royal blueQueen's Own Cameron Highlanders: (feather bonnet only - Drummers and Drum Major) WhiteQueen's Own Cameron Highlanders: (Pipers only) Eagle featherQueen's Own Highlanders (Seaforth and Camerons): Royal blueQueen's Own Highlanders (Seaforth and Camerons): (feather bonnet only - Drummers and Drum Major) WhiteQueen's Own Highlanders (Seaforth and Camerons): (Pipers only) Eagle featherQueen's Royal Irish Hussars (pipers on caubeen only): White over redRoyal Irish Rangers: GreenRoyal Corps of Transport (pipers on feather bonnet only): Red over white over blueRoyal Ulster Rifles: BlackSeaforth Highlanders (feather bonnet only - Drummers and Drum Major): WhiteSeaforth Highlanders (Pipers only) Black Cock FeatherNo. 9 Commando and No. 11 (Scottish) Commando: BlackThere are several fusilier regiments in the Canadian Army which wear the hackle (the French-speaking fusilier regiments do not appear to do so):
The Princess Louise Fusiliers: French greyThe Royal Highland Fusiliers of Canada: WhiteRoyal 22e Régiment: Red (not otherwise considered a fusilier regiment, they wear fusilier full dress because of their alliance with the Royal Welch Fusiliers)Scottish-influenced non-fusilier regiments which wear the hackle include:
48th Highlanders of Canada (feather bonnet only): WhiteThe Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada (Princess Louise's) (drummers on feather bonnet only): WhiteThe Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada: RedThe Calgary Highlanders (drummers on feather bonnet only): White The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa (Duke of Edinburgh's Own): Royal blueThe Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's) (drummers on feather bonnet only): WhiteThe Essex and Kent Scottish (feather bonnet only): WhiteThe Lorne Scots (Peel, Dufferin and Halton Regiment): Primrose yellowThe Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada: Royal blue (except pipers in full dress, who wear an eagle feather instead).The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada (drummers on feather bonnet only): WhiteIrish-influenced non-fusilier regiments which wear the hackle (on the caubeen):
2nd Battalion, Irish Regiment of Canada: Green (light blue for senior NCOs and officers)A few infantry regiments in the Dutch Army wear the hackle:
Regiment Stoottroepen Prins Bernhard: BlackKorps Commandotroepen: BlackRegiment Limburgse Jagers: RedRegiment Infanterie Oranje Gelderland: RedKorps Luchtdoelartillerie Black over redIn the Indian Army, a few selected infantry regiments wear the hackle:
Brigade of the Guards: Red over yellowThe Grenadiers: WhiteKumaon Regiment: GreenMahar Regiment: Dull cherryMaratha Light Infantry: Red over greenNaga Regiment: OrangeRajput Regiment: Maroon over redNational Cadet Corps: RedRoyal Military College: Red (to be worn on Annual Passing Out parade only)Royal Ranger Regiment: BlackNew Zealand Army
Canterbury, and Nelson-Marlborough and West Coast Regiment: GreenThe Punjab Regiment: GreenThe Sindh Regiment: RedNorthern Light Infantry: White with ceremonial headgear onlyCadets at Pakistan Military Academy: Red over Green9th Battalion, Azad Kashmir Regiment: Red (commemorates the action in the Leepa Valley, Kashmir in 1972)Scottish- and Irish-influenced regiments which wear the hackle include:
South African Irish Regiment: GreenTransvaal Scottish Regiment: RedWitwatersrand Rifles: BlackUnited States Military Academy: Cadet Officers wear black hackles in their Shako for parades.
