MAJOR - ROYAL WELSH FUSILIERS 1891

Dress Uniform (Marching Order)

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This is the uniform that would have been worn on parade, on line of march, or for inspection by a General Officer. Our example, of Field Officer rank, would have been a mounted officer and not therefore have worn boots and gaiters. The infantry officer's dress tunic is made from a fine scarlet cloth with collar and cuffs in the colour of regimental facings.

As a "Royal" regiment, the Royal Welsh Fusiliers wear garter blue facings. The collar, which has Rose pattern lace around the top underlined with a row of braided eyes for a field officer, and Russia braid along the bottom,, carries silver wire embroidered flaming grenades superimposed with the Welsh dragon in silver At the back of the collar can be seen the famous RWF "flash". In the days when soldiers wore pigtails they were worn powdered and greased, and to protect their jackets pigtails were enclosed in a bag known as a "queue bag".

In 1808 the queue was abolished and hair ordered to be cut short. The ribbons that tied the pigtail were known as "the flash" and by a special decree from King William IV in 1834, the Royal Welch Fusiliers were allowed to retain the flash in the form of the black silk you see here. Until 1900 it was worn only by officers and senior NCO's. The tunic has eight gilded buttons of regimental design in front, and a further two behind on the waistline. The tunic front, the collar and the plaits on the rear are all lined with white cloth. Twisted gold shoulder cords carry rank insignia, in this case a gold crown. The pointed cuffs have two bars of Rose pattern lace around the top for a field officer, with a row of braided eyes over the upper bar and a tracing in Russia braid below the lower bar for a Major.

Over the left shoulder a crimson silk sash with tassel ends is worn. The fringed ends of the tassels are level with the bottom of the tunic. The sword belt and slings are of white leather with gilt fittings and the belt clasp is of regimental pattern and gilded. The sword itself is the 1822 pattern infantry officers sword and the Royal Welsh Fusiliers had a special device in the hilt. It is carried in a brass scabbard by an officer of Field rank. The sword knot is a gold and crimson strap with a gold acorn The overalls are of dark blue worsted cloth with a 1/4in scarlet welt down the outside seam. Infantry officers wore the blue cloth helmet, but officers in Fusilier regiments wore the bearskin cap similar to a Guards officer. On the front of this cap is a gilt flaming grenade with the Prince of Wales crest in silver. White leather gloves were worn with Dress uniform

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