Other Ranks' Pouchbelt c1930

The pouch and belt of the cavalry was altered around 1865 when the carbine was no longer clipped to the leather extension. This changed the appearance of the belt so that the pouch was more easily visible. The Hayes painting of Farriers 1838 shows a trooper with the old style pouchbelt, and we can see the Eagle badge on the black leather pouch. Only a few years before this the Greys were given permission to use the Eagle motif as a badge. This photo taken at a wedding c1930 tells us that the pouch carried by the men of the Greys had changed little in the last 100 years. In fact the pouchbelt, in this form, was abolished in 1902 but several photos of the Scots Greys in dress uniform during the inter-war year show them wearing it. The brass buckle is placed just behind the shoulder strap and the brass tip with its distinctive shape covers the end of the leather.

Regimental Details | Sabretaches and Pouchbelts