Private and Sergeant c1875


The private on the left is in guard order with cloak. He has the full dress shako of the last pattern that was worn from 1869 to 1878 before the introduction of the blue cloth covered helmet. The tuft on top of the shako is half red and half white, a distinction of the 34th. He is armed with a Martini Henry rifle introduced in 1874.

The sergeant is in undress, wearing a serge frock which is red with only the collar in the facing colour. Some regiments did not have the white piping down the front edge or round the base of the collar but this was the style of the 34th. The braid on the cuff is in a single loop, but by 1880 a trefoil design was worn. His cap is a glengarry, introduced to English regiments from 1868, although Scottish soldiers had worn it for 20 years previous to that. Gold stripes were worn on one sleeve only for line infantry, both sleeves for light infantry. His white leather waist-belt carries a bayonet which is 22 inches long.


Uniforms | Regimental Details


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by Stephen Luscombe