Uniforms Of The Royal Sussex Regiment

Uniform History

Private in undress uniform

(approximating to drill order)

A Private of the late 1880s, wearing the seven button, home service frock (a frock may be reasonably described in the same way as a lady’s frock, as a loose fitting working garment), with the blue facings (collar & cuffs) of a royal regiment. He wears blue trousers, with a quarter inch red welt down the outside seam. Buttons are brass other ranks general service type. Collar dogs are of Regimental Pattern.

The headdress is a Glengarry, with a red Tourrie (the bobble on the top) which again signifies a royal regiment.

He carries basic equipment only of a white buff (short for Buffalo) leather belt, on which are carried his bayonet frog and bayonet, and a single ammunition pouch, which in this case is carried at the front, signifying that he is carrying ammunition.

His rifle is the Martini-Henry .577/450” breech-loader, the first purpose built breech-loading rifle to be issued to the British army, from 1873.

Pte in full dress uniform

(approximating to review order)

A private again late 1880s, wearing a full dress tunic. This is tailored garment, again with seven brass general service buttons to the front, which is piped in white. The tunic has a double row of piping from the waiste down at the rear, forming a central panel, each of these rows of piping are topped with a single brass general service button. Trousers are again of heavy blue cloth, with a quarter inch red welt to the outside seems. Collar dogs to Regimental pattern.

The extra layer of cloth worn on the shoulder is a shoulder protector. It was introduced with the .303” Lee-Metford Magazine Rifle in 1888, which, because of its bolt action was carried flat to the shoulder. The protector pad was worn to prevent the oil from the rifle action soiling the tunic.

The headdress is the 1878 pattern home service helmet, in blue cloth. This is fitted in guilding metal, with a chin chain, attached at each side of the helmet by a rosette shaped fastener. The helmet is topped with a cruciform shape and a six sided spike. The helmet plate is in two parts, the plate, an eight pointed star, with laurel wreath, and summounted by a Victorian (Queen’s) Crown, with a centre plate of a circle containing the words Royal Sussex, around the Regimental collar badge emblem, backed by scarlet cloth of the same type as the tunic.

The same buff leather equipment is worn here, of belt, ammunition pouch, and bayonet and frog.

Lance/Serjeant in full marching order

The Serjeant again wears the full dress tunic, blue heavy cloth trousers, and home service helmet.

In marching order it is worn with the buff cross straps needed to support the full equipment, which was composed of the valise (a rectangular back pack), strapped to the back of which are his blanket, mess tin, and great coat. On his right side is his Oliver pattern water bottle, whilst on his left side is his havresack (note old spelling).

In this order he wears two ammunition pouches, one either side of the belt clasp, which is of other ranks, general service form, in guilding metal, with his bayonet frog and bayonet carried on his left side over the havresack.

He wears serjeants stripes in white worsted, indicating that he is a lance serjeant. A full serjeant would wear gold bullion stripes.

Staff Serjeant in Drill Order

A Staff Serjeant 1890s, wearing the five button, foreign service frock (which, at that rank, is fully piped, that is to say edged, in white). The frock is shaped at the bottom to either side of the centre, and the sleeves have Austrian knots at the cuffs, again denoting his rank.

He wears blue trousers, with a quarter inch red welt down the outside seam. Buttons are brass other ranks general service type. Collar dogs are of Regimental Pattern.

The belt is of buff leather, with a brass clasp of standard pattern. A wool sash is worn over the right shoulder, falling to the left hand side of the waiste, where is end in a decorative knot and tassle.

The cap is the staff sergeants forage cap, with gold bullion decoration to the peak, and the red band indicating a royal regiment. The cap badge is the officers’ pattern of the period, which could be worn by staff serjeant if they could afford to purchase one.

Serjeant in Khaki Drill

(Boer War Period)

The Serjeant wears the khaki drill frock and trousers, worn with knee length sand colour puttees, and foreign service helmet with khaki drill cover.

It is worn with 1888, Slade Wallace equipment.

On his right side is his round cloth covered water bottle, whilst on his left side he again carries the havresack.

He wears serjeants stripes in gold bullion, with the pincers and hammer badge above indicating that he is an armourer by trade.

He carries the .303” Lee-Enfield bolt action rifle, which has a ten round detachable magazine.

Pte in service dress

marching order WWI

The private wears the khaki serge tunic trousers, worn with knee length khaki wool puttees, and service dress cap with regimental pattern badge.

He carries the 1908 pattern Mills webbing equipment, the shoulder straps supporting two sets of five pouches, one either side of a simple fastener on the wide webbing belt. Suspended from the belt are his bayonet and entrenching tool helve on his left side, enamelled cloth covered water bottle on his right side, and the entrenching tool in it cover at the back. A small pack, and a large pack were carried as necessity, and orders dictated, together with various other items of equipment.

He carries the .303” Short Magazine Lee-Enfield Rifle, and the 1907 pattern bayonet.

Tin helmets were not issued until 1916, together with gas masks, which changed in form duringthe course of the war.

Sjt and Pte circa 1914 in full dress uniform

The uniform has not changed a great deal, except that the shoulder epaulettes are now blue , and the jam pot cuffs of the earlier tunics have become chevron shaped. The helmet plate now bears a King’s Crown.

They both carry the .303” Short Magazine Lee Enfield or SMLE rifle. This rifle has a bolt action with a ten round magazine. The bayonet for all ranks is the sword bayonet pattern 1907.

Note that in full dress medals are worn, as are white gloves.

Lieutenants Uniform