Other Ranks, 1868

This is a detail from a large group photo of the NCOs and men of C Troop, 10th Royal Hussars taken in 1868 at the East Cavalry Barracks, Aldershot. Some of the men are in fatigues for stable work. On the right is a private in dress uniform which is the blue tunic with yellow braid loops across the chest, fastened with brass ball buttons. He has yellow braid Austrian knots on his cuffs, and his collar is also edged in yellow braid. There are yellow acorn ends to his cap-lines visible, resting on his white leather pouch-belt. The lines are around his neck and hook up to a ring beneath his scarlet busby bag. The busby was quite tall at this stage, reduced in height for all hussars 20 years later in 1888. The stiff upright horsehair white-over-black plume adds another 6.5 inches to the height.
There are NCOs standing on the left wearing blue stable dress. The sergeants have gold edging to their collars and cuffs, and gold shoulder cords. They wear silver metal regimental PoW plume badges on their three chevrons. The corporals have gold lace stripes without the badge. It was not until the 1880s that corporals wore this regimental badge. They have yellow braid on their collars, cuffs and shoulders, not visible because of the photographic process at the time. For the same reason the yellow cap-bands and braiding cannot be seen on the corporals’ blue caps. The sergeants have gold on their caps, showing the pattern on the top. The sergeant looking at the camera has more gold braid than the other taller one. The front and hem of his stable jacket is edged in gold and he has Austrian knots on his cuffs. This would indicate that he is a specialist, perhaps a band sergeant or orderly sergeant, but he has no badge on his sleeve to give us a clue. The gold cap-band is one inch wide. In another part of the whole photo, not seen here, is the Troop Sergeant Major wearing a stable jacket similar to the taller sergeant. He has an embroidered crown over his stripes, and his cap-band is much wider, around 1.75 inches wide.

Regimental Details | Uniforms