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The
Helmet - Officers, WOIs and WOIIs of The Life Guards
The
helmet is made from the best quality white metal.
It has a spike on a
ball of gilt metal, on an eight-pointed Star,
which is screwed to the
skull of the helmet. The gilt decoration,
along the centre rear seam,
is 1 inch wide.
Within a wreath of gilt oak and laurel leaves, on a frosted
gilt centre
surmounted by a gilt St Edward's Crown, is the Garter Star
in silver,
and it is bolted to the front of the helmet.
At the centre
of the Star, the Garter, Cross and Field are in enamel.
Encircling the
Star, the Collar of the Order with the 'George'
upon the lower ends of
the wreath, in gilt.
The
wreath, which encompasses the whole badge, is in gilt, with
laurel leaves
on the left side of the helmet (when viewed from the front),
and oak leaves
on the right.
The rim of the helmet is bound in gilt, and the peak lined
with green skiver.
The head leather is of tan-coloured roan, lined with
scarlet rayon.
The brow is of felt and sandwiched stout buckram.
A
gilt metal rosette, 2.25 inches in diameter with four inner rows of petals,
is screwed into each side of the helmet. This secures the ends of the
gilt curb chain. It is 16.5 inches long and mounted on black leather.
In
The Life Guards, the chain is worn under the lower lip.
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The
Plume - Officers, WOIs and WOIIs of The Life Guards
The
plume is made from white horse hair, and is arranged at the top
to fall
over a circular mould, which fits onto a four-sided metal stem
held
in position by a screw-on dome at the top, and a ball screw underneath.
The dome and ball-screw are gilt.
The
plume is fitted to the helmet by passing the stem through the spike
and securing it underneath with a butterfly screw.
In order to obtain
the 'onion' shape of the plume,
it is tied under the dome when not in
use.
This is customary only in The Life Guards.
The
hair hangs from the mould to a length of 24.5 inches,
and reaches below
the bottom of the helmet.
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The
Helmet - Officers, WOIs and WOIIs of The Blues And Royals
The
helmet is the same pattern as for The Life Guards, but the rosettes,
which secure the curb chain, have one inner row of seven, flat-pointed
petals.
The
curb chain is 18.5 inches long, which enables it to be worn
- in Regimental
manner - on the chin.
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The
Plume - Officers, WOIs and WOIIs of The Blues And Royals
The
plume is made from horse hair (and treated to resemble yak hair,
from
which the Regiment's plumes were once made).
The
plume is dyed scarlet.
It has
a fluffy texture to the touch, whereas the plume of
The Life Guards
is sleek.
It is
fitted in the same manner as for The Life Guards,
but a gilt rosette
is positioned at the top.
The plume is 19 inches long, and is intended to hang level
with the
bottom of the helmet.
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The
Helmet - Other Ranks of the Household Cavalry
The
helmet for Other Ranks is similar to the pattern for Officers,
but the
Star plate is in brass, and the rays of the Star are
of different appearance. Other decoration
is in brass.
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The
Plume - Other Ranks and Musicians of The Life Guards
The
plume for Other Ranks and Musicians of The Life Guards
is made of horse
hair, and is white.
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The
Plume - Farrier Ranks of The Life Guards
The
plume for Farrier Ranks of The Life Guards is made of horse hair,
and
is dyed black.
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The
Plume - Trumpeters of The Life Guards
The
plume for Trumpeters of The Life Guards is made of horse hair,
and is
dyed scarlet (as for The Blues And Royals), but is shaped to give
the 'onion' appearance, as is the custom of The Life Guards.
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The
Plume - Other Ranks, including Farrier Ranks,
Musicians and Trumpeters of The Blues And Royals
The
plume for Other Ranks, including Farrier Ranks, Musicians and Trumpeters
of The Blues And Royals is made of horse hair, and dyed scarlet.
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Cocked
Hat - Medical and Veterinary Officers
of the Household Cavalry
The
outer material is of black silk plush on a gossamer body.
On the left
side, the crown rises to approximately 6.25 inches,
and on the right side
to 5.75 inches.
The front and rear straight-edged ends are each embellished
with a gold bullion tassel.
A black oak-leaf braid band, 1.75 inches wide,
decorates the
right side of the front and rear.
At the centre of the right
side, a gold-wire corded and embroidered device
is affixed, with a gilt
button of Regimental pattern.
The hat has a white silk lining to the crown,
and a leather head band.
The
Medical Officer's hat has a plume of swan feathers, dyed black.
The
Veterinary Officer's hat has a plume of swan feathers, dyed red.
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Forage
Cap - Officers and WOIs of The Life Guards
It is
the universal pattern, and made from dark blue cloth with a
scarlet
cloth band, and a scarlet welt around the crown of the cap.
The black
leather strap is secured at the sides by buttons of Regimental pattern.
Gold lace decoration of the black, shiny peak is of Regimental pattern
also.
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Forage
Cap - Officers and WOIs of The Blues And Royals
It is
the universal pattern, and apart from the buttons and gold lace on the
peak
- both of which are of Regimental pattern - it is the same as for
The Life Guards.
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Riding
Cap - Musicians and Trumpeters of the Household Cavalry
The
cap has a hard cork base, and is covered with dark blue velvet.
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Forage
Cap - Other Ranks of the Household Cavalry
A dark
blue cap, with a 1.75 inch scarlet band, and
a scarlet welt around the
crown.
The strap is of black, glazed leather and is secured by buttons
of Regimental pattern. A small hook is provided at the top of
the buckram
band interlining, and an extra strap is attached
to fit on the chin
when the cap is worn for mounted duties.
The
peak is also of black, glazed leather and set at a steep angle,
in the
customary Guards manner.
It is decorated - around the rim - with rows
of gold braid,
and is indicative of rank as follows:
5 rows - Regimental Quartermaster Corporal, Squadron Corporal Major,
Farrier
Corporal Major, Band Corporal Major, Trumpet Major, WOIIs.
4 rows - Squadron Quartermaster Corporal, Farrier Staff Corporal.
3 rows - Corporal of Horse.
2 rows - Lance Corporal of Horse, Lance Corporal.
1 row - Trooper, Musician.
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Service
Dress Cap - Officers and WOIs of The Life Guards
The
cap is made from khaki barathea, and has a brown leather strap,
secured
at the sides by buttons of Regimental pattern.
The peak is bound around
the edges in brown leather.
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Service
Dress Cap - Officers and WOIs of The Blues And Royals
The
cap is as for The Life Guards, except that the buttons are
of Regimental
pattern, and the peak is perfectly plain (i.e. no leather).
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Service
Dress Cap - Other Ranks of the Household Cavalry
The
cap is made from khaki cloth, and has a dark brown leather strap
which
is secured at the sides by buttons of Regimental pattern.
A second strap
is added, which actually fits on the chin when
worn for mounted duties.
The peak of the cap is set at a steep angle, a custom long associated
with British Guards Regiments.
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Cap
Badges
Regimental
cap badges have only been worn
- in the Household Cavalry - since 1914.
Those for the 1st and 2nd Life Guards, and Royal Horse Guards,
were
designed in 1913 and were bronze-coloured.
Soon after their introduction
for use with khaki uniform,
the 2nd Life Guards began to polish their
badges.
After the amalgamation of the 1st and 2nd Life Guards - in July
1922 -
the polished badge was retained by The Life Guards.
Regimental
cap badges are still worn on the Service Dress caps.
Household
Cavalry cap badges, in plated metal, are worn on the Forage Caps
- by
both Regiments.
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Buttons
The
buttons are of plated metal, and are of Regimental pattern as follows:
The
Life Guards - the letters LG intertwined, surmounted by a lion
upon
a St Edward's Crown.
The
Blues And Royals - the letters RHG above 1st D, surmounted
by a St Edward's
Crown.
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Regimental
Badge of the Household Cavalry Regiment
The
badge is of the same design as the badge worn on the Forage Cap.
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Regimental
Motto of the Household Cavalry
Honi
Soit Qui Mal y Pense (Evil be to him who evil thinks).
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