Photo Help

[The Saint]

Michael & Stuart,

Do not forget that the DRs deal with officer's uniform only.

Prior to 1855, British Other Ranks (42nd included) wore a single breasted coatee (not a doublet), with white laced buttonholes on the front (it faintly shows in the last photograph), and shoulder straps ending in a tuft crescent for the battalion companies or wings for the flank companies (again see the last picture). Highland regiments had short tails whereas Line Infantry had long tails.

Pity (as well) my home PC is out-of-order for the moment , I would have scanned some pictures otherwise.

Interesting topic.

Stuart, you're right, the three LD regiments you mention are indeed a possibility.

BTW, what is the title of the NAM book you're talking about ?

Cheers

Eric

[Stuart Bates]

Eric,

I can never forget that the DRs are for officers only I made that mistake some time ago. The NAM book "A Most Desperate Undertaking" is unclear on the subject, with few decipherable photos/illustrations of highlanders except the one I mentioned. Barthorp is more along the lines you specified thereby leading me into some confusion, uniforms not being my strong suit.

Stuart

Edited April 3, 2007 by Stuart Bates

[Michael NA]

Eric:

Thank you for clearing this up.

So, I am back to having this as a confirmed image of McNab in 1854 given that he was the only member of the 42nd prior to the Crimea to have a medal-Long Service Good Conduct.

I was also just looking at some dress information for some cavalry regiments and will now go back and double check to see whether they are Officers or ORs.

My friend who confirmed that the 42nd wore single breasted prior to the Crimea, felt that the first image was a Hussar but with the many militia/yeomanry as well as regular army units it would not be possible to confirm unless you had a full photo of the uniform. So, he might be militia/yeomanry with a combination of features common to regular army uniforms.

Michael

[The Saint]

Michael,

Through not 42nd, these are two pictures showing the coatee worn in the Crimea :

http://www.btinternet.com/~james.mckay/92nd1846.htm

http://www.btinternet.com/~james.mckay/crimea12.htm

Stuart,

Splendid book ! I bought it after visiting the NAM Crimea exhibition 3 years ago.

Eric

[leigh kitchen]

I have a NAM postcard somewhere that shows a member of the 42nd, a Crimea veteran, one of a series taken shortly after the war for Queen Victoria, he's wearing the double breasted jacket which I believe is noted on the card as a new post war pattern.

Edited April 3, 2007 by leigh kitchen
"wart" for Queen Victoria?

[Bear]

Hello,

I got this in today and thought I would post some pics.

thanks,

barry

[Bear]

pic2

[The Saint]

Well, that's a much clearer picture.

Now I would say this trooper was a volunteer, either Yeomanry or Colonial, because the Light Dragoon jacket closed with toggles, not buttons as on the picture. Morever, the buttons look silver (but I may be wrong), which was traditionally associated with Volunteers in the British Service.

Barry, do you know where does this photograph comes from ?

Eric

Edited April 10, 2007 by The Saint

[Stuart Bates]

I agree with Eric that the tunic having buttons rather than toggles makes it a non-regular tunic ie. not a Light Dragoon tunic.

[Bear]

Hello Eric,

I got it from a dealer here in the United States in the New England area.

thanks,

barry

[Bear]

Hello,

I found this one and was wondering what kinda info we can gather up on his uniform.

thanks,

barry

http://www.trocadero.com/acanthus/items/392803/en2.html

[Graham Stewart]

Sergeant - Royal Marines Light Infantry going off the cap badge, so it would be post 1862, as the Corps was split into two seperate Corps by "Order-in-Council" on 21st March 1862. The two Corps were Royal Marine Artillery, which wore dark blue in line with the Regular Army and the Royal Marine Light Infantry which continued to wear scarlet.

Graham.

Edited August 25, 2007 by Graham Stewart