Field Officer in Undress 1902


This mounted officer seems to have two rank badges on his shoulder which indicates that he is a lieutenant-colonel, perhaps the commanding officer of one of the battalions. In rifle regiments the rank badges were bronze, for a Lt-Colonel, a crown and star, for a major a crown only. Mounted officers in the infantry were normally only the CO, 2nd in command, and the adjutant.

This officer is wearing undress uniform which consists of a frock of rifle-green coloured rough serge cloth. It has black buttons and pointed cuffs but does not have scarlet facings like the patrol jacket, however there is a line of scarlet piping around the base of the collar. There are two breast pockets and two hip pockets. There is a waistband which is sewn on to the back of the jacket and fastened at the front with a black leather covered buckle. But here this belt is covered by a brown leather Sam Browne which supports the rifle pattern sword sheathed in a brown leather scabbard with a silver covered tip.

His breeches are also rifle green with a two inch wide black braid stripe. Black knee boots with silver spurs. His pill-box forage cap is in rifle-green cloth with a cap-band of one and three quarter inch black mohair braid. In the middle of the top is a netted button surrounded by braid in a looped figure.

The bridle of his horse has black leather straps. Dress regulations stipulate that the KRRC bridles have scarlet cloth linings with scalloped edges but this photo suggests otherwise. All the metal parts are silver. The bosses on the sides of the head-band are not clear but the Regulations mention 'green front with rosettes'. The throat-plume is black over scarlet and the head-rope is rifle-green instead of the normal white.


Uniforms | Regimental Details


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by Stephen Luscombe