Naval brigade uniforms question

Posts : 57 Join date : 2012-04-12

Hi,
I found a posting somewhere dealing with uniforms of the sailors of the Naval brigade and describing them as follows.

HMS Active: Blue jumpers, white trousers, white caps
HMS Tenedos: Blue jumpers, blue trousers, blue cap cover
HMS Boadicea: White jumper, white trousers, blue cap cover
HMS Shah: Blue jumpers, blue trousers, sennet hat

The poster referred to Osprey's Elite No. 32 (British forces in Zululand) as the source and most contemporary photos and pictures I know of seem to depict sailors accordingly. But are these patterns confirmed by some written source or merely concluded from images?

Another question of mine is the tunic colour of the Royal Marines. I've seen them always depicted in blue, except this picture showing the Marines detachment of HMS Active in red. The photo it is based on, however, was posted on victorianwars by member Isandlwana and he writes that the Marines wear their blue working jackets.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
So did the Marines wear blue or red in the Zulu War? Or both??

cheers,
Dave

Subject: Naval Bgde Uniforms Question Sun Apr 29, 2012 6:06 am

Hi ThinredlineMOD.
The following from ' Uniforms & Weapons Of The Zulu War ' by Christopher Wilkinson - Latham .
The Royal Marine Light Infantry wore the scarlet serge with blue collar and scarlet cuffs , the latter being ornamented with gold lace and braid for officers , as for infantry , the other ranks having a plain loop of white worsted tape . The foreign service helmet
, trousers , leggings , and equipment were as for infantry . The Royal Marine Artillery also wore the frock but theirs was in dark blue serge with scarlet facings . The other ranks had the scarlet collar braided with yellow worsted round the bottom only and the cuffs were ornamented with a trefoil knot . Photographs taken during the zulu war also show that Marine officers wore a dark blue patrol jacket edged with black mohair and ornamented on the front with loops and olivets . A photograph of the Marine officers of
HMS Active shows them wearing the foriegn service helmet with a white pugree and a white tunic with a stand collar , five buttons down the front and gold twisted cords .
cheers 90th. Salute

Posts : 57 Join date : 2012-04-12

thanks a lot mate!

cheers, Salute

Dave

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