Colour Party 1863

The officers and senior NCOs of the 1st Battalion posed for this photo in Sheffield in 1863. The two ensigns holding the Colours stand either side of a Colour Sergeant. They have gold-laced Colour belts and wear the 1861-69 pattern shako with the smaller pattern badge. Compare this with the large officer on the left of the photo who wears a shako with two gold bands around the top and the larger 1855-pattern badge. He is Lieutenant-Colonel John Hinde CB, the commanding officer. He has more gold lace on his tunic; along the top and bottom of his collar, two rows around the top of his cuff, and around the edge of the three button slash flaps. The ensigns have lace only around the top and front of the collar, and a star badge of rank. Their cuffs have one row of lace and no lace edge to the slash flaps.
The Colour Sergeant has a rank stripe on his right arm with an embroidered flag, crown and crossed swords above. He has a red tunic with blue collar and cuffs edged in white. His crimson sash is worn on the right shoulder. On his left shoulder is a broad white leather belt for his black leather ammunition pouch. There is a small white pouch on the front of the belt for percussion caps. He has a pale strap under his sash for the canvas haversack which is folded neatly for dress occasions, as from c1857. There are also white shoulder straps for the knapsack on his back. He holds an Enfield rifle with bayonet attached. This was a sword style bayonet 22.75 inches long.
Behind these men are three more escorts to the Colour Party and the drum major with his embroidered sash and ornamental drumsticks.

Regimental Details | Uniforms