8th Hussars


Farrier, c1890


The uniform is all dark blue incuding the collar. The buttons are brass balls and the six rows of braid are yellow worsted. The braiding is not round, if you cut it, the cross section would appear square. At the end of each row is a domed button covered in fine yellow netting.

There is yellow braid around the top and lower edge of the collar. And forming an Austrian knot on the cuffs. You can see close-ups of an actual example of a hussar tunic if you look at the uniforms section of the 11th Hussars on our website.

He has no stripes on his right arm but the edge of a badge is just discernable on his upper arm. This is a horse-shoe badge which was worn by farriers (blacksmiths). On his left sleeve are an inverted chevron denoting four years good conduct. The badge above it is a marksman's badge.

His cap was called a pillbox cap and was worn until the end of the 19th century when it was replaced by the forage cap. It is dark blue with a yellow cap-band and a yellow cloth covered button in the middle of the top. It was always worn on the right side of the head and had a black patent leather chin strap.

His trousers, called overalls were also dark blue with double yellow cloth stripe down the side. They are for dismounted duties and worn with black ankle boots which are worn under the trousers unlike the breeches which are tucked in to riding boots for mounted duty.

He carries white gloves and a cane which completes his walking-out dress.



Uniforms | Regimental details


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by Stephen Luscombe