Officers, Dress and Undress 1829

Although this Simkin painting is not contemporary, it illustrates the dress uniform worn by officers of Battalion Companies in the King’s Regiment. The shako is lower than the one worn prior to 1828 and has no gold lace around the top. The gold cap lines were worn only for parades and levees. They form a plaited festoon across the front of the cap and drop down to loop up and hook onto the coat so that tassels and flounders adorn the front of the uniform which, in 1829, changed from the heavily laced blue lapelled front to the plainer double breasted front. Cap lines were abolished for infantry by General Order of 2 Aug 1830.
The other item worn by this officer, abolished in 1830, is the gorget which can be seen just below the front of his collar. This was the last vestige of armour worn by noblemen up until the 16th century. By this time the size of the gorget had been reduced to about 4 inches wide. It was gilt and had the Royal cypher engraved.
The officer on the right is in undress, wearing a forage cap and frock-coat. The coat is plain blue fastening down the front with eight regimental gilt buttons. Simkin has painted simple gold cords on the shoulders which is correct for 1829. The 1834 Dress regulations describe more elaborate gold shoulder straps:
‘blue cloth, laced round with lace of the established regimental pattern…with metal crescent; the strap to be attached to the coat by brass tongue and gold lace binder. The different ranks of Field Officers to be distinguished by the crown and star. Officers of Grenadier Companies to have a silver grenade within the crescent. Officers of Light Companies to have the bugle within the crescent.’
The forage cap is blue with a red cap band, the distinction of Royal regiments. There was no badge on the front, but by 1834 a badge was specified in the Dress Regulations. Both officers have their swords slung on a shoulder belt, and a crimson waist sash. The trousers demonstrate the two types worn throughout the year. The officer in dress uniform has Oxford mixture trousers, worn in the winter months, 15 October to 30 April. The officer in undress wears the white linen summer trousers from 1 May to 14 October.

Regimental Details | Uniforms