Colour Sergeant and Officer, Khaki Drill Order 1914

Khaki service dress was introduced c1903 and shoulder titles were sewn on to the top of the sleeve to show the difference between the (then) four Guards regiments. The badges on the NCO's sleeve indicate his rank of Colour Sergeant. The crossed swords badge would normally be for a fencing instructor but in the Guards they were the khaki equivalent of the dress badge that had crossed swords below the State Colour. Colour Sergeants filled the appointments of company sergeant-majors and company quartermaster-sergeant. The web equipment supports the water-bottle and haversack so that there was no need for the cross straps. These two items would be detached in drill order.
The officer has the smart khaki cap with black cap-band and gold embroidered badge and peak. For active service a more practical all khaki cap was worn. The tunic was buttoned as for line regiments while the other Guards regiments grouped the buttons like the dress tunic. The badges of rank were worn on the shoulder, not on the cuff. The trousers were worn like knicker-bockers, with puttees, but within the year had been replaced by more elegant jodhpurs, either with puttees or riding boots.

Regimental details | Uniforms