Officers in Undress Uniforms, 1900

Three of the officers here wear the pillbox forage cap which disappeared at the turn of the century to be replaced by the field service cap worn by the right-hand officer. These photos are all dated 1900 but they show that there was a wide choice of uniform. Orders issued in the period prior to the introduction of service dress in 1902 give four orders of dress: review order, marching order, drill order and mess order. All four of these men are in drill order. In a rule on the subject of swords it states that they were to be worn on all parades and duties except on board ship, at mess or at stables. The two officers on the left are not wearing swords so are presumably on stable duty. The left-hand figure has a braided patrol jacket that had been in use for 20 years or more and abolished in 1902. The next figure is wearing a stable jacket, normally seen on cavalry officers. It is the same as the mess jacket only fastened all the way down the front with hooks and eyes. The two left hand officers have similar uniforms to each other but show the 'before and after' accoutrements. The Sam Browne belt was ordered to be gradually introduced from 1898 to replace the white pouchbelt and binoculars case. The sword was worn in a leather scabbard in a frog attached to the Sam Browne belt whereas the sword worn with the pouchbelt was in a steel scabbard and hung from white slings attached to a webbing belt beneath the frock. The figure here also has the undress sabretache.

Post-1850 Uniforms | Uniforms | Regimental details