pittpiper

Graham,

Thank you. Those are excellent and helpful photos.

Sam

Here is a rather nice photo of 3 soldiers of the Gloucestershire Regiment. It clearly shows the neck curtain and the back badge.

What is very interesting here is that the neck curtain seems to be held in place by the puggaree rather than being simply tied on.

Regular battalions wore the brass back badge tucked into the cloth patch.

Photo Courtesy Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum

Stuart,

This is a fantastic picture. When you say the regular battalions wore the brass back badge tucked into the cloth patch, do you mean that they wore the back badge behind the rear helmet flash?

I believe the neck curtains on these helmets are actually built into the helmet cover. In some of these famous stereoviews you can see this style of helmet cover with puggaree tied underneath instead of over. http://angloboerwarm...stereoviews.php

Sam

Mervyn,

Thank you. This is a hard question. I have been thinking about it for a while, so I thought I would throw it out there and see what people have to say.

Sam

Dear board members,

I am wondering whether anyone can help me clear up the issue of the 1880s uniform of the 24th Middlesex (Post Office) Rifle Volunteers. For a relatively well known unit, I have found it difficult to find definitive information on their uniforms. From what I have been able to gather, they were raised in the 1860s and originally wore grey uniforms. In 1884/1885 when a few of the men left for the Sudan as reservists in the RE, they wore RE uniforms, but this seems to pertain only to that handful of men that went out on that campaign. The army lists of the 1890s describe the Post Office Rifles as wearing green tunics with blue facings. What about in the 1880s? All of the artistic depictions of the Post Office Rifles show them wearing blue tunics (or frocks) with green facings and charcoal grey trousers. Those images showing them departing for, or in, Egypt also depict the men wearing black valise equipment. Is this accurate? I would appreciate any information or suggestions that might help me clear up this issue.

Thank you,

Sam