Ensign c1856


The young officer here is wearing the 1856 scarlet tunic which is single-breasted and has yellow facings. Photographs of this period usually show yellow as very dark but in this photo the cuffs and collar look light. Officers below the rank of major had a single row of gold lace around the top of the collar and the top of the cuff. Captains had embroidered crown and star badges on their collar, lieutenants had a crown and ensigns had a star. Field officers had two rows of gold lace on collar and cuff, as well as a row of lace along the edge of the cuff flaps and the skirt flaps. The more richly laced collar had the same arrangement of rank badges for colonel, lieutenant-colonel and major. There was an narrow edging of white cloth down the front of the tunic and on the cuffs, collar and rear skirt slash flaps. The gilt buttons on the slash flaps on the skirts and the cuffs had gold lace loops. There were no epaulettes, only a crimson silk twisted cord on the left shoulder to retain the crimson sash of office. This officer has no medals so must have joined the regiment after the Crimean War. He has a black arm-band on his left sleeve, for mourning. Also his shako appears to have a black covering as the badge is not visible.


Uniforms | Regimental Details


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by Stephen Luscombe