Bandsman and Trumpeters 1842


In his article in the Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research, Percy Sumner mentions the crude series of watercolour sketches drawn in 1842 which were in one of the albums in the officer's mess. This copy made by Godfrey Brennen has two trumpeters on the right, in undress, but marked as 'Band Undress'. They differ from the trumpeters of 1838 in that the white forage cap has a slim blue cap-band instead of a wide red one. The brass grenade badge is clearly seen on the front of the cap, and they are worn tilted to the right. The stable jackets are edged with gold lace and have olivet buttons on the back. Their trumpet strings are green even though the regiment had Royal status and were entitled to blue, red and yellow strings and tassels. Perhaps the royal strings were reserved for dress parades.'

The man in the middle, in a blue uniform is a farrier in undress, wearing a cap that is the same as worn by the rank and file of the regiment with a white zig-zag. His stable jacket is blue faced red and has buttons instead of being fastened with hooks and eyes like the trumpeters. The regiment would have worn this style but with the blue and red colours reversed. The bandsman on the left is in dress uniform, which is a tailed coatee with shoulder scales. The fringed shoulder scales of 1838 had been discontinued and he wears the same as the rank and file. He has grenade badges on his collar, and he wears a pouchbelt and gauntlet gloves, again differing from the 1838 trumpeters. What is most remarkable is the fur hussar busby worn instead of a bearskin. It has a red bag and a red upright plume on the front.


Regimental Details | Band


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by Stephen Luscombe