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Help Identifying Uniform / Regiment


David Buck

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Would really appreciate some help in identifying the uniform / regiment of the soldier depicted on a Victorian silver and enamel Vesta (Match) Case that I have. The silver is dated 1886, so slightly pre-war, but hope someone here might know?

It is one from series of silver and enamel Vesta Cases depicting 'Soldiers of the Queen' that were produced by Sampson Mordan & Co of London around the time of Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee in 1887, but I have not seem this example before.

I thought that it might possibly be the Royal Engineers, but the Austrian knot on the cuff looks white rather than gold?

Very many thanks.

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He’s an Infantry soldier in a numbered regiment with Royal appellation circa 1874-1880.  He wears a full dress tunic with white trefoil knot, as was introduced in the early 1870s, and he’s on sentry duty with a Martini-Henry rifle stood in the at ease position, as per the drill manual at that time.  Unfortunately the regimental insignia is indiscernible, so he could be any one of a number of line county or light infantry regiments, but not a fusilier or rifleman.

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Edited by FROGSMILE
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23 minutes ago, David Buck said:

That's great - thanks very much. Do you think possibly one of the Volunteer Regiments - The Royal Sussex?

Possibly Royal Sussex, but no more so than any other Royal county regiment.  Definitely not a Volunteer Battalion though, they were not aligned with Regulars until 1881, took until 1888 to adopt associated uniforms, and even then had a more elaborate Austrian cuff knot to mark them out.

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Edited by FROGSMILE
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3 minutes ago, David Buck said:

Ok - thanks again. A bit of shame that we can not be more precise, but really appreciate your help.

The uniforms were grouped in various categories and within categories only facings and badges were different.  Your painted image is too small to show insignia.

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Superb! Thanks for the images. I gather the blue facings indicate a Royal Regiment. He does have a white badge/insignia on his collar, but I can not make out what it is.

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  • Admin

As this pre dates the Great War by some years, it is off topic so will have to be locked. I would suggest carrying on further correspondence via private messages. If a Great War connection can be found, we will re open the thread. 

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  • Michelle Young locked this topic
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