The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers - (***MODERATORS' CHOICE)

[leigh kitchen]

Northumberland Fusiliers, photograph by Geo. Dean & Son, Rawlpind & Murree.

A sergeant & a corporal wear campagn medals on the left breast, other men wear Army Temperance Association.

[Graham Stewart]

Leigh,

What a cracker, in particular the varying unifoms being worn. You'll have noticed some are wearing 'blue patrols', but one in particula caught my eye as he appears to be a L/Cpl wearing a 'scarlet' patrol jacket identified by the addition of two breast pockets. I actually have an officers pattern scarlet patrol jacket in my collection, but this is the first time I've seen an O/R's pattern.

On viewing again though it could be my eyes, but it does look lighter.

Edited October 22, 2008 by Graham Stewart

[leigh kitchen]

The original photo contains about 4 times as many men, there's at least one more L/Cpl & also a Cpl in the group who are wearing scarlet Patrols. The eye is drawn to them initially because they don't wear collar badges, & sure enough their tunics appear to match the scarlet rather than blue tunics that other men are wearing.

Interestingly, only two men wear "proper" medals & one other a ribbon on the left breast, any other medals worn are ATA ones.

Edited October 23, 2008 by leigh kitchen

[Graham Stewart]

Leigh,

Looking at the larger photo it is apparent that two O/R's do seem to be wearing a scarlet patrol jacket, while the rest ot their colleagues wear the darker blue patrols. It's quite possible that the two odd men out may be part of the mounted infantry section.Would there be any chance of having the full scale photo e.mailed to me for further investigation???

[leigh kitchen]

Will do......

[leigh kitchen]

"The Colours, 2/5th Fusilers"

The sergeant on the right would appear to be one of those in the photograph in post no. 57.

The card is one of "The Wellington Series" by Gale & Polden Ltd, & was posted on 12/1/12 (from Pontefract to an address in Clare, Suffolk).

[coldstream]

Another in the same series, this time The Officers on St Georges Day.

[Graham Stewart]

Nice 1890's coloured print of a Cpl Northumberland Fusiliers and L/Cpl Durham Light Infantry. One wonders if they were staged for all such regiments as something is missing from the NF Cpl's furcap.

[Graham Stewart]

Caton Woodvilles lovely "Northumberland Fusiliers". It's a study of a Territorial Bn on parade and is supposed to be the 4th Bn,NF which would date it between 1910-14 as they were still clothed in Rifle Grey until adopting scarlet. Depicted in the background is Alnwick Tower.

[Graham Stewart]

Rare photo of the Northumberlands possibly taken originally for an illustrated magazine. On the reverse is pencilled in "Departure of the 1st Northumberland Fusiliers for the Cape", which would make it 16th September 1899 and aboard the Union Liner Gaul.

[Graham Stewart]

Th officers of the 1st Bn who would lead them in South Africa. Centre seated is Lt-Col C.G.C. Money and left of him the 2i/c Major the Hon. C. Lambton, while seated to the extreme left is the Adj Capt & Brevet Major G.L.S. Ray.

[Graham Stewart]

During the South African the NF were one of a handful of regiments allowed to recruit additional regular battalions in 1900 and here we have a photo of members of the 4th Battalion taken March 1904 for the regimental journal.

[Graham Stewart]

From the same series of photos depicted by Leigh & Coldstream, some more of the 2nd Battalion, N.F. which became an annual event over the coming years.

[Graham Stewart]

No.1 Company, 2nd Bn,N.F.

[Graham Stewart]

In 1905 no company indicators were put on the photo's.

[Graham Stewart]

Unknown company 1905

[Graham Stewart]

Another unknown company 1905.

[Graham Stewart]

In 1906 company indicators were re-introduced to the photo's of the 2nd Bn, N.F.

[Graham Stewart]

Even the cooks got a look-in. Seriously would you want to "cross" these lads and complain about the grub?

[Graham Stewart]

The tradition continued into 1907 and here we have the Cpl's again.

[Graham Stewart]

However there was a small addition in that the company's were now lettered and here we have 'G' Company, 2nd Bn, N.F.

[Graham Stewart]

Latest edition to the collection. Northumberland Fusiliers St.Georges Day c.1900/01. This could actually be either the new 3rd or 4th regular battalion, but what is interesting is the uniform. It's the 7 button undress Home Service pattern frock jacket and what is unusual is that apart from the piping down the front of the jacket no other piping is worn. The shoulder straps are plain scarlet with the title "bomb/NF" woven in white worsted. The collar and cuffs are in 'gosling green' facing colours, although at least one individual still has the more common white collar and cuffs. What makes these jackets rarer is the fact that they're 'jampot' cuffs, which were later replaced with a pointed cuff.

[leigh kitchen]

When did jampots come in - 1902 was'nt it?

[Graham Stewart]

introduced 1881 - started to phase them out c.1902. For non-Royal regiments they were always white, but when coloured facings were reintroduced 'jampot' cuffs became coloured but seemingly for a short time only. Very little information is forthcoming regards full dress and undress thereafter, but at least two other patterns were adopted by regulars, the final one being the 1913 pattern.

In 1902 undress was abolished in favour of khaki SD.

Edited November 17, 2008 by Graham Stewart

[Graham Stewart]

Nice photo of young members of the 4th Bn, N.F. wearing the new khaki S.D. with the detachable shoulder strap brought into wear from 1902. Young man on right seems to be wearing the 'undress' scarlet jacket as again there's no sign of piping on the shoulder strap which would indicate full dress. Note also the 'jampot' cuff. The 4th Bn was eventually disbanded 1906.

Edited November 17, 2008 by Graham Stewart