Childers Reforms

Standardisation of uniforms and colours

For reasons of economy and efficiency, an attempt was made to have the facings of uniforms standardised. (Facings are the lining of uniform jackets, made from material of the regimental colours; turning back the material at the cuffs, lapels and tails exposed the lining, or "facing".):

• 'Royal' regiments would have dark blue facings
• English and Welsh regiments would have white facings
• Irish regiments would wear green facings (in effect only the Connaught Rangers, as all other Irish regiments were 'Royal')
• Scottish regiments would have yellow facings.

Officers' uniforms had lace in distinctive national patterns:

• [[File:Tudor Rose.svg|20px]] rose pattern for England and Wales
• [[File:Scottish Thistle (Heraldry).svg|20px]] thistle for Scotland
• [[File:Shamrock of Ireland (Heraldry).svg|20px]] shamrock for Ireland.

In the case of regular battalions, the lace was gold, while that of the militia battalions was silver. There were also attempts to assimilate regimental insignia and remove "tribal" uniform distinctions. This was less successful, as regimental tribalism and tradition caused much criticism. Two regiments that displayed a strong reaction were the 75th and the 92nd that were grudgingly joined together to become the Gordon Highlanders. The 75th went so far as to commission a marble monument to themselves in Malta where they were based at the time. They had spent so long away from Scotland that they were effectively an English unit that had to relearn how to wear kilts. The 92nd, though they lost much less identity in the amalgamation, staged a mock funeral procession to themselves, complete with a full-size coffin with the number '92' on it.

During 1890, The Buffs succeeded in being allowed to resume the wearing of buff facings, initially at regimental expense and design. Within a few years, a number of other regiments had replaced white facings with traditional colours. After 1935, the ruling on blue facings for royal regiments effectively lapsed. That year, in celebration of his silver jubilee, King George V designated three regiments as royal. In each case, they were "permitted to retain their present facings". During 1939, the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, who had worn blue facings since 1881, were issued buff regimental colours "by request and gracious permission". In 1946, three more infantry regiments were designated as "royal" for services during World War II. Of these, only the Royal Lincolnshire Regiment replaced its (white) facings with blue.

Regiments created

Sources

References

Notes Citations Bibliography

References

1. See {{Ukhansard. (3 March 1881)
2. See {{Ukhansard. (1 August 1881)
3. See {{Ukhansard. (11 July 1881)
4. (1881). "Regulation of the Forces Act".
5. "THE AMALGAMATION OF THE REGIMENTS, 1881".
6. Blaxland, Gregory. (1972). "The Buffs". Bloomsbury USA.
7. (3 June 1935). "Honours for the army - new royal regiments".
8. Hamilton, Eric. (1968). "Colours of the Regular Army Infantry of the Line, 1st July 1881 to 1958". The Bulletin of the Military Historical Society.
9. (10 December 1946). "Royal corps and regiments - war service honours".
10. Army Order 509/1920, in effect 1 January 1921
11. Army Order 110/1935
12. (13 September 1890). "Naval and military intelligence".
13. Army Order 167/1946
14. Army Order 136/1949
15. [http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/volmil-england/vinf-ea/hg-cycl.htm The Huntingdonshire Battalion (Regiments.org)] {{webarchive. link. (21 July 2006)
16. (4 April 1900). "Naval and military intelligence".
17. Army Order 269/1919
18. (25 April 1931). "Army's return to old colours - Leicestershire Regiment's new facings".
19. Army Order 78/1922
20. Army Order 56/1920
21. (4 June 1936). "The Army - Restoration of old facings".
22. Army Order 70/1951
23. Army Order 244/1938
24. Army Order 256/1934
25. (19 August 1936). "The Army - The Essex Regiment".
26. Army Order 183/1921
27. Army Order 69/1921
28. Army Order 221/1923