PRIVILEGES OF FAMOUS REGIMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13235, 21 July 1906, Page 1 (Supplement)

PRIVILEGES OF FAMOUS REGIMENTS.

Certain regiments of the British army have been granted permission to wear peculiar, and often eccentric, distinctions in dress in commemoration, in. most cases, of their especial bravery in' battle.

The Gloucestershire regiment,. (the old 28th Foot) have- the " Sphinx" • adorning the back i\p. well as the front of their headdress, which distinction gives them a most peculiar appearance. This privilege was granted to commemorate the bravery of the Ist Battalion at Alexandria, when Colonel Paget commanded the rear ranks to face about, thus repelling a desperate French attack and saving the situation.

At the battle of Saragossa, the Bth King's Royal Irish Hussars captured the belts of the Spanish cavalry. On this account they are allowed to wear the sword belt over the right shoulder. This curious distinction lias led to the corps being nicknamed the' "Cross-belts."

The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment and the East Yorkshire Regiment have both been in mourning for the last hundred yea A black line, mingled with the gold braid, is worn by the officers in commemoration of the death of the famous General Wolfe at Quebec. The North Lancashires were formerly the old 47th. .

Until quite recently the uniform buttons of the Wiltshire Regiment (the old 62nd) were designed with a "splash" such as would bo made by a bullet. This distinguishing mark was granted to commemorate the stubborn defence of. this gallantcorps at Carrickfergus Castle during the invasion of Ireland by the French. On this occasion the ammunition was expended, and the men, rather than surrender, loaded their muskets with 'the buttons from their clothing, and so kept the enemy at bav.

A rcd-and-white feather. is worn by the Northumberland Fusiliers in honour of their desperate stand at St. Lucios in- 1778, on which occasion they tore the buckles from the head-dress of the slaughtered French soldiers and adorned their'own.

The 7th Hussars are permitted to wear shirt collars. This strange order was onto cancelled, and the men paraded without the unsold ier-like appendage. Lord Anglesey,, however, who was colonel of the regiment at the time, disapproved of the alteration.' and so, since that time, the famous 7th have, stuck to this distinction in dress. The Oxfordshire Light Infantry are also allowed this privilege.