History of the Royal Sappers and Miners, Volume 2 (of 2): From the Formation of the Corps in March 1712 to the date when its designation was changed to that of Royal EngineersConnolly, T. W. J. (Thomas William John)
History
History of the Royal Sappers and Miners, Volume 2 (of 2): From the Formation of the Corps in March 1712 to the date when its designation was changed to that of Royal Engineers
Connolly, T. W. J. (Thomas William John)
Great Britain. Army. Royal Sappers and Miners
Late in the summer the coatee with its double breast, short body, garish
trimmings, and narrow skirts gave place to a scarlet single-breasted
tunic with facings and edgings of dark blue plush. Falling back with a
curve, the collar is bound all round with yellow cord while the pointed
cuffs are embellished with an Austrian knot of yellow cord which,
stretching over the plush rises with a flowing involution more than
seven inches up the sleeve. Plain skirts measuring about twelve inches
long, lined with white shalloon, are broken in their plainness by two
upright pocket slashes with plush edgings having three points and as
many buttons. Double cords take the place of the huge epaulettes of
former days, and the buttons unaltered in shape and device, are sewn two
inches asunder down the breast as low as the waist, and two smaller ones
add to the ornamentation of the cuff. All ranks wear the same
description of tunic. That for the drivers is shorter in the skirts for
riding.
Corresponding with their grades the sergeants and staff-sergeants have
finer cloth and wear royal gold cord on those parts where the rank and
file display yellow worsted cord only. Rank is shown by chevrons of gold
lace worn above the elbow, but the badges to denote the staff-sergeants
occur just above the sleeve knot with the points upward. Lance-corporals
have one stripe on the right arm; other ranks have the marks on both
arms. Second corporals one on each arm; corporals two; sergeants three
and an embroidered crown; colour-sergeants an equal number of chevrons
surmounted by an open banner and based by a couple of crossed swords;
and the staff-sergeants four badges of broader lace and an embroidered
crown. The last, in addition, have facings of garter blue silk velvet,
shoulder knots of treble twisted gold cord with blue eyes bearing silver
embroidered grenades; sleeve knots traced in and out with Russia gold
braid and the skirts lined with white kerseymere. The bugle-major’s
rank, in addition to the chevrons and crown, is indicated by a musical
device with banners, which must have puzzled the professors of
embroidery to make it sufficiently characteristic, elaborated with cross
trumpets, rams’ horns, tambourines, and other insignia, around a lyre
and grenade.
The artificers of the driver troop—farriers, shoeing smiths, wheelers,
and collar-makers—are distinguished by the usual devices, worn above the
elbow.
The buglers wear worsted embroidered cross trumpets on both arms, and
the good conduct men are distinguished by badges of narrow gold lace on
the right arm just above the knot.
No better colour for trowsers than dark Oxford mixture cloth could be
introduced. They have therefore been retained, as also the red stripes
down the outer seams. The working trowsers are of the same colour, and
similarly striped, but a few shades coarser in texture. The driver troop
wear strapped trowsers of the regimental quality, of which each man
receives two pairs annually.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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