UNIFORMS, ARMS & EQUIPMENT - ROYAL ARTILLERY
THE ROYAL REGIMENT OF ARTILLERY 1881-1902
FULL DRESS UNIFORMS
FIELD AND GARRISON ARTILLERY
INCLUDING COAST BRIGADES
Along with much of the rest of the army, the Royal Artillery (Field and Foot Units) adopted a tunic to replace the coatee in 1856. It evolved through the years becoming more form fitting and with shorter skirts. The collar and cuff decorations were similar to those of Hussars. The tunic had rounded skirts in front and was edged all round with scarlet cloth there was a single vent piped scarlet with two buttons at the hip. In 1874 the hip buttons were described as being on the seams and the rear skirts were piped on each seam. There were gold shoulder cords and the rank badges were on the scarlet collar. In 1881 the rank badges were moved to the shoulders which now had gold plaited cords and a silver bullion grenade was adopted for the collar which was rounded in front and 1 ½ inches high . There was a major change in 1891 when the front skirts were squared off and the piping was only down the front. On the rear skirts were two blue cloth three pointed flaps, each edged with gold cord lace and buttons at the point of each flap and two at the hip. The collar on the tunic was now squared and now two inches high.
ROYAL HORSE ARTILLERY
Prior to the Crimean War, the Royal Horse Artillery officers had worn a heavily gold laced jacket. In 1855 they adopted the jacket which, in most cases is the same as that worn by the King’s Troop RHA today. The waist length jacket was edged all round with round back gold cord and there were eighteen buttons down the front with the same number of double gold cord braids across the front with a loop at each end. The collar, shoulder cords and cuff decorations were the same, according to rank, as the Field Artillery. The rear seams of the jacket had gold cord crows feet at the top and Austrian knots at the bottom.
ROYAL HORSE ARTILLERY
Prior to the Crimean War, the Royal Horse Artillery officers had worn a heavily gold laced jacket. In 1855 they adopted the jacket which, in most cases is the same as that worn by the King’s Troop RHA today. The waist length jacket was edged all round with round back gold cord and there were eighteen buttons down the front with the same number of double gold cord braids across the front with a loop at each end. The collar, shoulder cords and cuff decorations were the same, according to rank, as the Field Artillery. The rear seams of the jacket had gold cord crows feet at the top and Austrian knots at the bottom.
TROUSERS & PANTALOONS
The netherwear of the Royal Artillery was the same as that for all of the army. For dress and levees, trousers and overalls had 1 ¾ inch regimental lace down each side. Pantaloons no longer had gold lace down the sides but instead had 1 ¾ inch scarlet stripes. Overalls were worn by the Royal Horse Artillery while trousers were worn by the Foot Artillery.
BUTTONS
The Royal Artillery button was, before 1874, a crown over three cannons. After that date the button was a crown over one cannon. There were two sizes Large at 35-40 lines and Small, 24 to 29 lines.
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POUCH, POUCHBELT & SABRETACHE
