Military Uniforms

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Cachet: The cachet is printed in silver foil against a warm taupe background and shows the regimental crest of the 6th Warwickshire Regiment of Foot. A crowned antelope stands at the centre of a wreath of laurel leaves, with a scroll above reading "Niagara" and a second scroll below reading "Orthes Peninsula Pyrenees", naming battle honours the regiment carried. The Roman numeral VI sits beneath the antelope. The whole crest is framed in a plain rectangular border. Above it the title "Military Uniforms" appears in a flowing script, setting the tone for the five stamps showing the regiment's dress across the 1820s.

Info card

MILITARY UNIFORMS The uniforms depicted on this set of stamps were worn by British troops serving in Southern Africa during the period 1821-1827 — in this case the 6th (Warwickshire) Regiment of Foot. Stamp D1.5 This stamp features the white drill uniform worn by British infantry line regiments from approximately 1800 to 1830. The jacket buttons were pewter stamped with a crown and the regimental number. The buttons on the 6th Foot Warwickshire Regiment's jacket were grouped in pairs. Stamp D2.5 The wings on the shoulders, the green plumes and the bugle-horns over the 6 in the cap plates indicate that these two soldiers are light company privates. The style of their uniforms is known as the Waterloo pattern. The jackets of troops were a brick or russet red. Only officers and sergeants wore scarlet jackets. After 1875 scarlet was stipulated for all ranks. The shako caps depicted are the Regency model worn to circa 1832. Stamp D3.5 This stamp portrays two grenadier company sergeants in the 1821-pattern uniform. The bearskin cap was worn on home service. White trousers were worn in South Africa and also during the summer months on home service — during winter blue-grey trousers were worn in Britain. This uniform had a loop on each side of the collar. The loops on the chest tapered in pairs from top to bottom. The cuffs had three plaited lace slashes, or flaps piped in white. The 6th Regiment wore two pairs of small loops and buttons on their cuffs and white plumes on their caps. The sergeant on the left carries a spontoon, the one on the right wears a sash with the facing colour in the centre and carries a sword. Stamp D4.5 The undress blue frock-coat was worn by all officers when not on parade. The shakos are depicted without plumes and with waterproof covers. Light company officers were distinguished by their curved swords of 1803 pattern. In 1822 all officers received the same new swords, but as the 6th Regiment was in South Africa at this time, the old pattern sword would have been used till the Regiment's return to England. Stamp D5.5 Illustrated on the left is an officer in bright sky-blue, tightish trousers with silver stripes on the outer seams. His jacket is buttoned across as worn not on parade. On the right is a field officer in parade order with two epaulettes, and his plastron buttoned back to display the facing colour. The collar is closed in Prussian style. His pale lavender trousers with silver stripes on the outer seams are in Cossack style, being full at the waist, and tapering down the leg with a tight cuff at the ankle. The shako for officers had a broad and narrow band of silver. The chin scales and badge were of silver instead of brass as for other ranks. The badge had the regimental device — an antelope — in the centre, together with the word WARWICKSHIRE on a plinth. The whole, with the superimposed crown, was encircled by a silver lace rosette with a crimson line in the centre.

Additional information

This cover is postmarked on 28 September 1983 in Middledrift. The five stamps depict soldiers of the 6th (Warwickshire) Regiment of Foot in various uniforms worn during their service in Southern Africa between 1821 and 1827, ranging from white drill dress to full parade uniform. The regiment's battle honours, Niagara, Orthes, Peninsula and Pyrenees, shown on the cachet, trace its earlier service in North America and the Napoleonic Wars before it was posted to the Cape. White trousers were worn by the regiment specifically while stationed in South Africa, in place of the blue-grey trousers worn back home in Britain.

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