HOUSEHOLD CAVALRY - OFFICERS UNIFORMS

THE HOUSEHOLD CAVALRY -

ORDERS OF DRESS FOR OFFICERS

OF THE ARMOURED REGIMENT

Men of both Regiments of the Household Cavalry dress similarly,
but quite distinctively, when on non-ceremonial duties,
and on active service.

The uniforms described hereunder are as per
Standing Orders for the Household Cavalry Regiment.

Orders Of Dress for
Household Cavalry Regiment Officers

(Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment)

Service Dress (Mounted)

Forage Cap, Service Dress Jacket, Sam Browne Belt, Regimental pattern Shirt, Tie,
Breeches of Regimental pattern, Regimental Field Boots and Spurs,
Brown Leather Gloves, and Regimental Whip (Sword, instead, when ordered).
Red or Blue Lanyard.

The following HCR Officers will wear Service Dress (Mounted)
whilst on dismounted parades:

Commanding Officer, 2 i/c, Squadron Leaders, Adjutant, RCM

Image to come

Service Dress (Dismounted)

Forage Cap, Service Dress Jacket and Trousers (with turn ups),
Sam Browne Belt, Tie, Regimental pattern Shirt and Tie, Dark Blue Socks,
Brown Leather Shoes, Brown Leather Gloves and Regimental Whip
(Sword, instead, when ordered).
Red or Blue Lanyard.

When not wearing a Sam Browne Belt a Service Dress Cap is to be worn.

Officer of The Life Guards in Service Dress, Dismounted (front view)

Officer of The Life Guards in Service Dress, Dismounted (rear view)

Officer of The Blues And Royals in Service Dress, Dismounted (front view)

Officer of The Blues And Royals in Service Dress, Dismounted (rear view)

Sam Browne Belt

The photograph on the left
is of the Sam Browne Belt
of an Officer of
The Life Guards - note
the red lanyard
on the right shoulder.

The photograph on the right
is of the Sam Browne Belt
of an Officer of
The Blues And Royals - note
the Whistle on the belt,
and blue lanyard on
the left shoulder.

Barrack Dress Order (Winter)

Service Dress Cap, Jersey Heavy Wool with Metal Rank Badges on Epaulettes,
Regimental pattern Shirt and Tie, Service Dress Trousers, Stable Belt,
Dark Blue Socks, Brown Leather Shoes, carrying Whip.

Officer of The Life Guards in Barrack Dress Order, Winter (front view)

Officer of The Life Guards in Barrack Dress Order, Winter (rear view). Note Stable Belt.

Officer of The Blues And Royals in Barrack Dress Order, Winter (front view). Note Stable Belt.

Officer of The Blues And Royals in Barrack Dress Order, Winter (rear view).

Barrack Dress Order (Summer)

Service Dress Cap, Regimental pattern Shirt open at the neck and
sleeves rolled up above the elbow, with Metal Rank Badges on the Epaulettes,
Red or Blue Lanyard, Stable Belt, Service Dress Trousers, Dark Blue Socks,
Brown Leather Shoes, carrying Whip.

The Orderly Officer wears a Forage Cap and Sam Browne with Cross Strap (LG);
without (RHG/D).

Officer of The Life Guards in Barrack Dress Order, Summer (front view)

Officer of The Life Guards in Barrack Dress Order, Summer (rear view)

Officer of The Blues And Royals in Barrack Dress Order, Summer (front view)

Officer of The Blues And Royals in Barrack Dress Order, Summer (rear view)

Combat/Working Order (Winter)

Beret, Combat Trousers, Green T Shirt, Combat Shirt with sleeves rolled down
(tucked in) 58 pattern Belt, Boots CAB.

Field Jackets may be worn when cold with a 58 pattern Belt on the outside.

Gortex Jackets may be worn in inclement weather.

Image to come

Combat / Working Order (Summer)

Beret, Combat Trousers, Combat Shirt open at the neck and with sleeves rolled up
above the elbow (sleeves are to be rolled down between the hours
of 1800 and 0600 hrs), 58 pattern Belt, Boots CAB.

Field Jackets may be worn if cold with a 58 pattern Belt worn on the outside.

Gortex Jackets may be worn in inclement weather.

Image to come

PT Order

Civilian PT Kit with Regimental or Squadron T Shirts/Sweatshirts.

CFT/Battle PT Order

Combat Trousers, Squadron T Shirt/Sweatshirt, 58 pattern Belt and Boots.

Field Jackets may be worn if required.

Officer of The Life Guards in CFT/Battle PT Order (front view)

Officer of The Life Guards in CFT/Battle PT Order (rear view)

Officer of The Blues And Royals in CFT/Battle PT Order (front view)

Officer of The Blues And Royals in CFT/Battle PT Order (rear view)

Maintenance Order (Winter)

Beret, Norwegian Shirt (zipped up at the neck), Coveralls open at the neck
with plain Rank Slides on Epaulettes with embroidered Rank Badges,
58 pattern Belt, Boots CAB, carrying Ear Defenders.

Image to come

Maintenance Order (Summer)

Beret, Coveralls open at the neck and sleeves rolled up above the elbow
with plain Rank Slides on Epaulettes and embroidered Rank Badges.
58 pattern Web Belt and Boots CAB, carrying Ear Defenders.

Green T Shirts may be worn under Coveralls.

No 1 Dress

Forage Cap, Blue Patrol Jacket (with embroidered Badges of Rank).
Regimental Cartouche Belt, Overalls, Wellington Boots and Spurs,
Short White Gloves and Whip, Cloak in the winter.

Blue Trousers with turn ups (RHG/D); and without (LG)
may be worn with Black Shoes when ordered.

Above: Photograph of the Ammunition Pouch on the Cross Belt of a Life Guards Officer

Left: Forage Cap of an Officer of The Life Guards

Above: Photograph of the Ammunition Pouch on the Cross Belt of a Blues And Royals Officer

Right: Forage Cap of an Officer of The Blues And Royals

Mess Dress

Forage Cap, regimental pattern Mess Jacket, Waistcoat, and Overalls.
Wellington Boots and Spurs. Medals (Miniatures, Court Backed).

The regimental Cloak may be worn.

White Gloves should be worn, Whip optional.

Officer of The Life Guards (front view)

Officer of The Life Guards (rear view)

Officer of The Blues And Royals (front view)

Officer of The Blues And Royals (rear view)

Life Guards Officer's mess tunic shoulder, showing red "mars bar" under epaulette

The Life Guards waistcoat has a row of ornamental beading

The gold trim on the cuff of The Life Guards tunic is raised and pointed

The overalls of The Life Guards have three red stripes - one thin one between two thick ones

The gold trim on the cuff of The Blues And Royals tunic is flat and rounded

The overalls of The Blues And Royals are distinguised by a single, wide red stripe

The Blues And Royals Officer's mess tunic (note no "mars bar")

The Blues And Royals waistcoat has edging to the pockets, but no beading

Civilian Clothing

Although Bowler Hats and stiff collars are no longer required to be worn
by Officers in London, Officers visiting HQ H Cav or HCMR are not to wear
extravagantly tailored or coloured clothing.

Cavalry Memorial Sunday

Bowler Hat, Dark Suit, stiff white collar, Household Division Tie, Medals,
Umbrella and Black lace-up Shoes.

General Notes

Blues And Royals Tweed

The Blues and Royals Tweed may be worn by all Blues And Royals Officers.

Lightweight Summer Service Dress

Household Cavalry Lightweight Summer Service Dress may be worn by those
in possession of it, but only when Shirt Sleeve Order is ordered.

Gold Spurs

Gold Spurs may be worn by the following RHG/D Officers in Mess Dress if they wish:

Colonel of the Regiment

Silver Stick

Regimental Adjutant

Commanding Officers HCR and HCMR

Second-in-Command HCR

Sqn Ldr Mounted Sqn

The Adjutant of HCR or HCMR

Medals

All Medals worn to be 'Court Mounted' and Scarlet Backed.

Court Mourning

When Court Mourning is ordered all Officers and Warrant Officers (Class 1)
wear crepe bands on the left arm above the elbow for the period of mourning,
both full and half mourning. The crepe band must be 3¼ inches wide.

It will be worn in all Orders of Dress other than Barrack Order, Denims or Battle Order.
In plain clothes Officers will wear Black Ties and Black Coats when out hunting.

Officers of the Household Cavalry extra-Regimentally employed
will also conform to this order.

British Warms

Cavalry pattern and colour. No Shoulder Straps, no Badges of Rank, no cuffs on sleeves.

Not to be worn on parade.

Army Khaki Overcoats

Metal Badges of Rank, Dark Brown Leather Buttons.

Berets

A Household Division Flash is to be sewn onto the Beret as a backing for the Badge.
Embroidered Badges will be worn on Berets.

Airborne or Commando Berets will only be worn in Combat Order by those entitled to do so.

Beret

Household Cavalry
Officer's Beret

HC Badge

Officers' Embroidered Beret Badge

Para Beret

Household Cavalry
Airborne Officer's Beret

Badges of Rank

All RHG/D Metal Badges of Rank are to have Black Backing.

Sam Browne Belt

LG pattern is Infantry with Cavalry fittings.

RHG/D is The Royals' pattern - Heavy Cavalry with a Whistle.

(See illustrations above - "Service Dress")

RHG/D Jackets

(Service Dress, No 1 Dress and Mess Dress)

The Gold embroidered Eagle is worn on the left arm 8cms below the sleeve seam.

Eagle

Gilt Buttons are to be worn.

Cloaks

RHG/D Cloaks are ex RHG pattern, colour and shape with ex-Royals Collar Chain.

For dismounted use, the right hand row of Buttons are done up.

Stable Belts

LG worn with Buckle over left hip.

RHG/D worn with the Buckle centre front.

End of straps tucked in and leather darkened to Dark Brown.

Lanyards

These are worn with the knot close to the relevant breast pocket,
and the end passed straight into the pocket (not looped).

LG on right shoulder, RHG/D on left.

Red Lanyard

Red Lanyard of The Life Guards

Blue Lanyard

Blue Lanyard of The Blues And Royals

Spurs (for Wellington Boots)

Are the swan necked LG and RHG/D patterns.

Whips

These are of the regimental pattern.

RHG/D have the regimental crest as a Silver Top Button.

Badges

The Forage Cap has a gilt Household Cavalry badge.

The SD Cap has either a brass LG regimental badge or a bronze RHG/D regimental badge.

Mess Dress (Tropical)

This is White, and cut in the same pattern as the normal Mess Jacket.

An embroidered Eagle is worn on the left arm by RHG/D Officers.

Regimental Overall Trousers are worn.

LG wear a Red Cummerbund; RHG/D a Blue one.

Civilian 'Softie' Jackets

Civilian 'Softie' type Jackets are only to be worn when out of barracks on training/exercise/operations,
and only worn underneath a Field Jacket/Smock.

They are not to be worn in barracks.

Name Tags

Are to be worn on Field Jackets, Smocks and Coveralls.

LG Combat

Combat Kit - Officer of The Life Guards
(note Black Stars)

B&R Combat

Combat Kit - Officer of The Blues And Royals
(note White Stars)

Divisional Flashes

A 7cm square Household Division DZ Flash is to be worn on all DPM Jackets and Shirts
(CS 95, Temperate, Tropical and Desert) on the upper right sleeve.

Div Flash

The 3 UK Division Flash is to be worn on Field Jackets and Smocks only -
on the upper left sleeve.

Union Flags

A small Union Flag is to be worn on all DPM Jackets and Shirts
(CS 95, Temperate, Tropical and Desert) on the right sleeve
above the Household Division DZ Flash.

Union Flag

Boots

Combat Assault Boots (CAB)

Only CAB are to be worn in barracks.

Pro Boots/Materhorn Boots

May be worn out of barracks on training / exercise / operations.

Boots Hot Weather/Boots Jungle

May be worn out of barracks on training / exercise/operations.

Hi Tec Boots

These boots are not to be worn.

Windproof/Para Smocks

Smocks are only to be worn when out of barracks on training/exercise/operations.

They are to have the correct Badges and Insignia sewn on to them.

They are not to be worn in barracks.

Tropical/Desert Combats

These are only to be worn when issued for a specific exercise or operation.

They are to have the correct Badges and Insignia sewn on them.

Fleece Jackets

These Jackets may be worn whenever it is cold - however they are only to be worn
underneath a Field Jacket/Smock.