Dress uniform and Khaki, c1907


The 20th were in Brighton from 1904, until c1909 when they were sent to Ireland. This photo taken c1907 shows the dress uniform and the new khaki uniform which was used for most undress occasions. The dress uniform is worn by a private who has a yellow cloth fleur-de-lys badge on his right sleeve to denote his skill as a scout. The uniform is the same as before but the white leather pouch-belt had been abolished in 1902 for all ranks except trumpeters and musicians. He has a King's South Africa medal with clasps. His busby has a yellow upright horsehair plume and crimson busby-bag. The coiled cord boss on the front is yellow as are the cap lines that hang down the back and go round his neck. There was a change to the horse furniture in that the bit was changed after the Boer War, and the martingale discontinued.

The man on the right wears khaki serge with fold-down collar and brass buttons. Any rank stripes would be on his right arm only at this stage but he is below the rank of sergeant because he has two good conduct stripes which were only worn by corporals and below. Above the stripes is a musketry proficiency badge. The cap he wears is the new style peaked khaki forage cap which replaced the Broderick cap around 1906. The ammunition bandolier on his left shoulder shows him to be a cavalryman. This type of bandolier replaced the previous type worn in the Boer War. It was introduced in 1903, designed at first to hold 50 rounds of ammunition. The five pouches on the front held two clips of five .303 rounds which could easily be pushed into the Lee Enfield magazine for quick loading. Later four more pouches were added to go on the back of the bandolier. His sword is the pre-1908 type with a white leather dress sword knot. It is attached to the saddle but the soldier still has white leather sword slings attached to his hidden web waist-belt.


Regimental Details | Uniforms


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by Stephen Luscombe