Mounted Sergeant and Private 1909

The final years of full dress are illustrated in this 1909 painting by Ernest Ibbetson. The mounted sergeant is in review order but his gold lace rank chevrons seem to have been painted on as an afterthought. Earlier images show the stripes to be sewn onto white backing cloth but this practice may have been discontinued. There is no sign of an NCO's arm badge above the stripes; the wearing of a crown above the stripes had been stopped and the Bays badge was not authorised until 1910. There is also no cross-belt which indicates that the ammunition belt was not worn on ceremonial occasions. Similarly there is no carbine carried on his saddle. The lack of the old pouch-belt, that was discontinued c1902, is sad to see as it had been, for many years, the mark of the cavalryman.
The other man is in walking out dress, with the recently introduced peaked forage cap and dress tunic. He has two good-conduct stripes on his left forearm which are white. If he had any rank stripes on the right arm they are not visible from this angle. Only privates, lance-corporals and corporals wore good-conduct stripes. Both men have a King's Medal for South Africa. The Bays fought in the Boer War too late to receive the Queen's Medal. It should also be noted that there are no badges on the collars although a photo of 1914 shows that they were worn in later years. His waistbelt has the sword slings attached.

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