Rifle Brigade 1845

This watercolour by Henry Martens depicts riflemen and officers of the British Rifle Brigade in 1845. Two officers in undress shell jackets and forage caps talk to a Colour Sergeant, distinguished by a badge on his right arm and a crimson sash around his waist. He and the riflemen behind wear tailcoats, and knapsacks are worn. The officers have silver chains and whistles on their pouch-belts but the sergeant does not. Whistles and chains were added later to sergeants belts so that they too could relay messages to the men by means of different calls. The 4th Bombay Native Infantry were selected to be a Rifle Corps in 1841 modelled on the Rifle Brigade, having the same arms and equipment. The uniforms would have been similar, although adapted perhaps for the Indian summer. The style of headdress would have been different for the Indian riflemen; the only information available is a sentence taken from the Bombay Gazette of 19 May 1841: ‘…However, we wish the Corps joy of their new distinctions and shall be truly glad to hear that some head-dress is appointed for them, which will not, like the present one, require to be held on when the bugle gaily sounds for the “double march”.’

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