Crimea Company Types 1855

Fenton's photo of men of the different companies in the 3rd Buffs shows three men in red dress uniform, a corporal in winter campaign dress and two officers in undress. The man on the left is the corporal in 'pepper and salt' coloured greatcoat and pork-pie forage cap. The badge on the cap is indistinct but may be a light company bugle badge. The Buffs came to the Crimea in May 1855 and were one of the first to receive the waistbelt to carry the bayonet. The other men have the waistbelt also, with the ammunition still carried in a pouch attached to a shoulder belt. They have canvas haversacks on their right shoulder and water-bottles on their left shoulder. The two standing men are from flank companies as we can see by the wings on their shoulders, the left hand man has a white ball tuft on his shako and the other man has the green ball tuft of the light company. The reclining man has battalion company shoulder tufts and a white over red ball tuft. A back-pack is on the ground below the stack of rifles; it has a numeral 3 and an undress pork-pie cap with a grenade badge. The two officers are from the flank companies. The officer with the cap pushed back on his head has a grenade badge over the dragon, and the other officer has a bugle badge, and no dragon. They wear undress shell jackets and light coloured summer trousers. The shakos worn by the three in dress uniform are the newer 1855 type which replaced the Albert shako. The badges are star shaped and were a better design than the previous circular badge.

Uniforms | Regimental Details