Officer, 4th Queen’s Own Dragoons, 1808 (Queen’s Own Hussars)

Description

The regiment was raised in 1685 as Princess Anne of Denmark’s Dragoons, becoming the 4th Dragoons in 1751, and later the 4th Queen’s Own Hussars in 1861 and finally the Queen’s Royal Hussars in 1993. The first Colonel was Sir Winston Churchill: after his death in 1965 Cornets from the Regiment stood vigil over his catafalque in Westminster and carried his coffin to the funeral train and to the graveside. This uniform looks antique, with cocked hat and long silver-laced scarlet coat, but this was the dress worn at this time by both Dragoon Guards and Dragoons. It scarcely changed for fifty years. Here a silver and blue pouch belt is worn over the left shoulder which became the distinction of cavalry officers and officers of mounted arms of the service; later becoming ornamental, the flap of the pouch itself was embroidered like that of the sabretache. The cut-feather plume worn in the hat looked impressive when standing as shown but often they drooped down (over the nose) when they were not attractive. This is the last form in which the cocked hat was worn by regimental officers. In this final form the brim has been turned up in two ‘cocks’ instead of three, and one loop keeping it in shape has been stylised and ornamented with silver. After this its use was confined to staff and general officers. It survives only in the headdress worn in full dress by the General Officer commanding London District, and by the officers of the Queen’s Bodyguard of Yeomen of the Guard.