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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

13th Hussars - cavalry stirrups


syd

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One of my ancestors, Archie Roberts served in the 13th Hussars in the Great War. He took part in two of the greatest cavalry charges in Mesopotamia, at Lajj in 1917, and at Hadraniya, in October 1918. Archie survived the war and returned to his home village, Thorverton, near Exeter in Devon, where he worked as an agricultural labourer. Archie's grand-daughter has given me two pictures of stirrups which he may have used on cavalry horses in Mesopotamia. I wonder if anyone may be able to help identify the stirrups from the pictures here, and confirm that they were cavalry stirrups. The wording on the base of the stirrups appears to say: solid nickel, Canno (or Cann &) Frost E.O and Co.

archie's stirrups.jpg

archie's stirrups 2.jpg

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He may well have used these, but they are not the standard military pattern.

Cheers

Ross

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Thank you, Ross. I am grateful for your response. Archie worked with horses when he returned to Devon after the war, but I don't think he used these stirrups on the farm he worked in Thorverton. Paul

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  • 1 year later...
 

He may well have used these, but they are not the standard military pattern.

Cheers

Ross

 
Old post but I dispute Ross’s statement:

4th Hussars spurs or stirrups with the same pattern as in your photograph:

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Antique-Steel-Hussar-Cradle-Pattern-Military-Stirrups-NOT-a-pair-cavalry-army/203001083047?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2648

 

Kind regards David

 

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3 hours ago, David Wrighton said:

Old post but I dispute Ross’s statement:

4th Hussars spurs or stirrups with the same pattern as in your photograph:

 

 

look closely at the photos, the ebay photos are the "Hussar pattern" stirrup which was the general service pattern stirrup through to the mid 1890s and are correctly described by the vendor.

 

The stirrups above are quite different.

Cheers

Ross

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Fair enough Ross. I stand corrected. I was doing some internet research for the hussar stirrup and came across this blog.

So, as I have recently purchased these stirrups, when would the 4th Hussars have used such a pattern....from when ? To the mid-1890s?

Many thanks 

David

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Hi David,

At least from the 1850s through to the mid 90s. I have not been able to find the List of Changes entries when the pattern used in WW1 comes in. It is important to go back to the LoC entries as equipment was often introduced on a limited scale before ultimately becoming the universal pattern. Photos are also useful, I have photos of hussar pattern stirrups in use here in the late 90s, but Australian colonial units often retained old pattern equipment for local use for extended periods.

 

I should add my congratulations on buying those stirrups. I saw them when they were for sale and was sorely tempted. I only have two saddles from the period and have hussar stirrups for each. They are hard to find and that pair were being offered at a very reasonable price. When I get my next iron arch saddle I will regret my decision not to buy them.

Cheers

Ross 

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I should add, that before 1850 and the "list of changes" / sealed pattern procurement system, that procurement and patterns was so chaotic and colonels had so much discretion that it becomes impossible to make firm statements about patterns of equipment.

 

If you look at "British Napoleonic Field Artillery" by CE Franklin, the chapter on draught harness illustrates stirrups as being of the "hussar" pattern. see illustrations on pages 104, 106, and 109. Although Franklin does provide extensive references for the chapter there is no specific discussion of stirrups. From this book and books like "Horse and Saddlery" Maj G Tylden, I consider that the hussar pattern was in use from the Napoleonic wars to the Crimean War but not exclusively. Tylden reproduces an 1860 illustration of a household cavalry officers "regimental" pattern of saddle with a different design of stirrup to the hussar type (page 159 fig 12).

 

The "New Pattern" stirrup which continued through WW1 until the present appears to start with the UP1890 saddles, but I suspect may actually start a little earlier with some of the patterns of iron arch saddle but I cannot document this. As this type of article was retained in service "until used up" the period over which the hussar and new pattern were in service simultaneously was considerable.

 

Were "hussar pattern" stirrups used during WW1 ? They possibly were, but I have never been able to locate a photo to confirm this.

Cheers

 

 

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