The history of the British Army is full of romance and interest and many curious customs, incidents and observances are associated with most of the regiments. Each regiment has peculiarities of custom which it has made its own by long use, besides winning unofficial titles and nicknames commemorative of some deed of daring or peculiarity of dress or tradition. The following pages deal with these, and if in perusing them the reader is encouraged to learn more of the glorious history and traditions of the British Army, which he will do with increasing satisfaction and interest, the author will feel amply rewarded. Although outwardly all regiments or battalions of one branch of the service are alike to the ordinary observer, there are, however, many little differences distinguishing them. These little differences are for the most part the sole remaining links with those gallant regiments of the past from which they have descended, and whose glorious achievements are a subject of great pride to all ranks. For instance, in the Royal Artillery there may be no difference to be detected between the various batteries or companies, yet each has traditions and subtle differences highly prized, as for instance the Chestnut Troop, the Rocket Troop, and the Battleaxe Company, all reminiscent of glorious incidents in their history. CAVALRY DISTINCTIONS The Household Cavalry are now the only British Cavalry still wearing the polished steel cuirass. Yet each of the regiments has little differences apparent only to the close observer. Thus, the 1st Life Guards wear a red cord as their shoulder belts and black sheep-skins on their saddles, the 2nd Life Guards wearing a blue cord and white sheep-skins. The seven regiments of Dragoon Guards differ somewhat from each other in point of uniform. They, with the Royal Engineers, are the only regiments in the army to wear velvet facings. Their helmets are of brass, the helmets of the Household Cavalry and Dragoons being of white metal. The three regiments of Dragoons are representative of England, Scotland and Ireland, being the 1st Royal Dragoons, Royal Scots Greys and Inniskilling Dragoons, the Greys being distinctive by reason of the colour of their horses and their bearskin head-dress. Each of the twelve regiments of Hussars, introduced into the service in 1806 as Light Dragoons, has also certain distinctions of dress, as also have the six regiments of Lancers, the best known of which is perhaps the 17th Lancers on account of its grim crest, a skull with crossbones, which, with its motto "Or Glory" has led to its popular name of "The Death or Glory Boys." It is an interesting fact that the 17th Lancers in 1795 provided a detachment for service on H.M.S. "Hermione" as Marines, and were promptly nicknamed "The Horse Marines." Lancer regiments were introduced into the British Army in 1816.