Officer and Private 1881


The blue cloth-covered home service helmet was introduced for all ranks in the infantry by a General Order no.40 of May 1878. It was topped by a brass or gilt spike and had a brass or gilt chin-chain. For foreign service the white helmet was worn.

In 1881 the officers’ rank badges were ordered to be moved from the collar and sewn onto plaited gold shoulder cords, as shown in this painting. Another, less popular, order was issued in 1881; that all English infantry regiments not designated royal i.e. ‘The King's...’ or ‘The Queen’s...’ should change to white facings. For the Green Howards this was devastating. It meant the loss of the green that gave them their nickname by which they had become well known. This and another Simkin painting of Green Howards officers in 1882 shows them wearing green facings in defiance of the order. This painting also shows the private wearing the 1871 tunic with pointed cuffs. In 1881 the pattern for other ranks changed so that cuffs were round, called jampot cuffs.

In 1881 the regiment had two battalions. The second battalion were serving in England, from 1877 to 1890, while the first battalion were serving in North America, from 1877 to 1884, and then in Egypt.


Regimental Details | Uniforms


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by Stephen Luscombe