Colonel's Shako 1869

This is a front and back view of the last pattern officer's full dress shako before the introduction of the helmet. It lasted from 1869 until 1878 and was made of cork, covered with blue cloth, 4" high at the front and 6.5" at the back. The patent leather peak was flat and horizontal. The red and white tuft has lost it's ornate gilt socket on this example.
Officers below the rank of major has two thin lines of gold lace around the top; colonels and lieutenant-colonels had two wider bands of regimental pattern lace, while majors had one. The colonel's shako photographed here displays the plain pattern lace with scalloped edge on the upper side only. There is a row of the thin lace around the base of the cap, up the back and a sloping line at the sides. The badge clearly shows the Chinese dragon which was their honour for services in China in 1842. The gilt chin chain is attached to a gilt rose on the left side and hooked onto a corresponding rose on the right. Alternatively the chain could be draped across the peak and hooked up to the lion's head ornament at the back.

Uniforms | Regimental Details