Field Officer, 14th Light Dragoons, 1815 (14th/20th King’s Hussars)

Description

The 14th was raised in 1697, disbanded shortly afterwards, and re-raised in 1715 in response to the Jacobite rebellion. In 1798 it became the Duchess of York’s Light Dragoons, in 1830 the King’s Light Dragoons, and, in 1861, the 14th (King’s) Hussars, its title when they amalgamated in 1922 with the 20th Hussars to form the 14th/20th King’s Hussars. After service in the Second World War, it amalgamated with the Royal Hussars to become the King’s Royal Hussars in 1992. Based at Tidworth it serves as the armoured regiment of the 12th Armoured Infantry Brigade. Under Army 2020 Refine, it will exchange its Challenger 2 tanks for Ajax vehicles. This type of dress was adopted by many regiments after the Napoleonic wars with the bell-topped shako copied from the French. This became almost universal in the army, except those cavalry that retained the helmet. The plastron in front of the jacket is a relic of the lapels on an older type of coat worn buttoned back and is of the facing colour of the regiment. In the case of the 14th the facing colour was orange, an uncommon colour which it shared with an infantry regiment, the 35th Foot. This facing colour was given up in 1830. The officer is wearing epaulettes – for some time a feature of all officers’ uniforms except Hussars.