10th Hussars Trooper.... interesting!

[GriffMJ]

Hi All

Here is a 10th Hussars Trooper...... but whats he wearing (shoulders) and why?

Also..... is the photo the right way round? .... or is he wearing the Lanyard on that shoulder because of the other thing (aguilette)?

Period :- Great War?

[grey_green_acorn]

Could he be the COs Trumpeter?

Tim

[GriffMJ]

Originally Posted by grey_green_acorn

Could he be the COs Trumpeter?

Tim

Tim

Thats what I was thinking

[1stTankie]

He could be a Bandboy. I think he is far too young to be the CO's trumpeter.

Gordon

[Hussar100]

Boy bandsman in my opinion. Aguilettes for junior ranks in the Corps of Hussars would only be worn with ceremonials except where approved by the colonel. My opinion on this would be that the entire band would be wearing this arrangement of cords.

The positioning of lanyards wouldn't be affected by the wearing of aguilettes. The 10th obviously wore their lanyards over the right shoulder.

[GriffMJ]

I think you are right about the Lanyard position

[Hussar100]

Originally Posted by GriffMJ

I think you are right about the Lanyard position

I used to know all the lanyard positions off by heart but have forgotten.

Lanyards aren't usually worn with ceremonials when aguilettes are worn. The reason for the odd juxtaposition in the pictures is simply because some colonel gave permission for aguilettes to be worn with service dress. It's just an affectation.

[GriffMJ]

The other interesting thing is that both photos are from the same Great War period and collars and badges are different.... showing the "mixed" maker varients being worn

[Hussar100]

Originally Posted by GriffMJ

The other interesting thing is that both photos are from the same Great War period and collars and badges are different.... showing the "mixed" maker varients being worn

It's these wee things which make an interest in British militaria so absorbing.

Do you know what the aguilettes were actually used for?

[GriffMJ]

Originally Posted by Hussar100

It's these wee things which make an interest in British militaria so absorbing.

Do you know what the aguilettes were actually used for?

I dont actually..... I always thought it was something to do with the Royal Household.... or an appointment of some sort?

[Hussar100]

Originally Posted by GriffMJ

I dont actually..... I always thought it was something to do with the Royal Household.... or an appointment of some sort?

Well there is some truth in that in modern usage and there are loads of stories about how they came about but in actual fact they're a security device to stop you losing your hat!

In traditional usage they're a double cord which clips onto the front of the jacket then splits to go around the neck and double up again at the back. There's a clip at the back to fasten the cords to the busby or helmet. So if the headgear falls off, say in a charge or in fighting, the hat stays with you. They're loose like that to prevent them inhibiting movement.

There was also an urban myth that they, along with other braids on the uniform, were to be used as replacement reins or other harness and this may well be true but I've never been able to substantiate that.

Many pieces of ceremonial uniform used to have a practical use but refinement has stopped that being obvious.

[GriffMJ]

You are talking about cap lines and not aguilettes? Cap lines allowed the hat to fall and not be lost. I am not sure about their alternative use ...other than decorative and their initial functional use.

Originally, the word "aiguillette" referred to the lacing used to fasten plate armor together. As such, a knot or loop arrangement was used which sometimes hung from the shoulder.

An aiguillette (from French "aiguillette", small needle) is an ornamental braided cord most often worn on uniforms, but may also be observed on other costumes such as academic dress, where it will denote an honour.

There are four types of aiguillette worn by the British Armed Forces:-

Aiguillettes (1st Class or Royal) are of gold-wire cord and are worn on the right shoulder by, among others, admirals of the fleet, field marshals and marshals of the RAF; honorary physicians, honorary chaplains, honorary surgeons and aides-de-camp to the Sovereign; equerries to members of the royal family. Some appointments carry the privilege of wearing miniature Sovereign's Cypher on the points of the aiguillettes. These aiguillettes are also worn by commissioned officers of the Household Cavalry (in full dress only). They are worn on the left shoulder in full dress by warrant officers of the Household Cavalry.

Aiguillettes (2nd Class or Board) are of gold and dark blue, crimson or light blue depending if worn by Royal Navy, Army or RAF officers and are worn on the right shoulder by, among others, military members of the Defence Board and each Service Board and the personal staff of governors. A simplified version with no coils is worn on the left shoulder by staff corporals, corporals of horse and lance corporals of horse of the Household Cavalry in full dress.

Aiguillettes (3rd Class or Staff) are of gold and dark blue, crimson or light blue depending if worn by Royal Navy, Army or RAF officers. They are worn on the left shoulder by, among others, attachés, assistants and aides-de-camp.
Simple aiguillettes are worn by lance corporals of the Household Cavalry and by bandsmen of Dragoon Guards and Dragoon regiments in full dress.

(Wiki Stuff)

[Hussar100]

Originally Posted by GriffMJ

<snip>
Simple aiguillettes are worn by lance corporals of the Household Cavalry and by bandsmen of Dragoon Guards and Dragoon regiments in full dress.

(Wiki Stuff)

It was my opinion that they were one and the same though. Didn't decorative aguilettes evolve from cap lines? Certainly in the hussars I wore what looked like an aguilette in ceremonials but it was in fact a set of cap lines.

[GriffMJ]

Originally Posted by Hussar100

It was my opinion that they were one and the same though. Didn't decorative aguilettes evolve from cap lines? Certainly in the hussars I wore what looked like an aguilette in ceremonials but it was in fact a set of cap lines.

So did I I dont have a pic' of me in full LYPAO Hussars kit.... but its all on website. We would occasionally wear lines in Blues ..... but only if on duty (special visits etc).

[Hussar100]

Originally Posted by GriffMJ

So did I I dont have a pic' of me in full LYPAO Hussars kit.... but its all on website. We would occasionally wear lines in Blues ..... but only if on duty (special visits etc).

Ooooh - nice ooniform Griff. Bet the girls loved you in that. (and some of the boys lol).

I never saw anyone wear lines in blues.