"Brit 10th Hussars Waterloo XLD or XRH? and shako ribbon ?" Topic

I'm illustrating the 10th hussars at Waterloo in splendid scarlet shakos but I'm unsure about the initial on the valise. According to Blanford Cavalry Uniforms, a painting by Woollen(?)it was 'X LD' but in P.Haythornthwaites U.of Waterloo he suggests it was 'X RH'. I've found several images of the 15th Hussars and they have 'IX LD' including red shakoed re-enacment photos. The ribbon band around the top of the shako is also in debate, in U of Waterloo its white as in Ospreys Wellingtons light cavalry but Haythorthwaites 'Waterloo Men' and Michael Barthorps British Cavalry since 1660 depict it yellow. I've already gone for white but…

In 1806 the Prince of Wales clothed and equipped the Regiment as Hussars – thus making them the first Hussar Regiment in the British Army. So they should have XRH on the valise.
As for the shako band I'm not sure but will look at some of the paintings in the Mess tomorow if I get time.

Tony (A King's Royal hussar.)

This painting of the 10th at waterloo appears to show white.

10thhussar.com/interest.htm

Thanks for the valise pointer tonysilvs. I'd seen the Dighton painting… scanning it for valises… But I also have it titled in books as the charge of the XV hussars who did have white lace through out their uniform and red shakos(although not at Waterloo!). Although the painting clearly shows all yellow lace on the rest of the uniforms X style. I'll look forward to any clues arising from your mess search.

CaptainOf

My four references for the 10th also show differences.

Osprey M@A 126 "Wellington's Lt. Cav." by B. Fosten publ. 1982 shows an 1815 officer of the 10th with silver shako band plus a gold chain band below it.

"The Thin Red Line" by B. Fosten publ. 1989 shows a private and officer of the 10th with white shako band.

However "Waterloo Men" also by Fosten publ. 1999 shows a Sergeant with yellow shako band !!

The magazine "Regiment" #33 has a painting of the 10th for 1813 'based on contemporary sketches by Rubens and Sebastion Norbin in the Royal Library, Brussels and the Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris' that shows a yellow shako band and valise with '10' over 'H' in yellow.

I wonder if the different colour shako band has something to do with their uniform change of 1814, they changed from red faced – blue jackets with silver lace to blue faced – blue jackets with gold lace ???

Cliff

I previously did the Shako bands in yellow after Pierre Turners illustration of a private in 'British Cavalry Uniforms since 1660' (1984) but as this was the only reference I had for them in yellow I changed them to white … I recenty bought 'Waterloo Men' and the doubt was rekindled. Personally I found the bands a little sickly in yellow, perhaps I wasn't the first, these decisions have always been aesthetic – not that I'm starting a debate on aesthetic objectivity, historic actuality being already hard enough to ascertain! the list of regimental abbrieviations in the back of 'Brit. Cav. Uniforms' also gives X H rather than X RH. hmmm. Thanks Camcleod. I've still a few more days before the illustrations go to press…

The Hussar Regiment were of course converted Light Dragoon Regiments and until about 1840 their formal title was **th Light Dragoons (Hussars). Strictly speaking the 10th should still have had XLD on its valises, but its also true that 'Hussars' had quickly become their sole de facto title, so my guess is XH by Waterloo, although this might made have made inspecting generals frown.
I don't think the valises would have had XRH at this point. The vast majority of regiments just had the Roman numeral with the initial of their type. Only a very small number of the most senior units had anything more distinctive in 1815. RHG, KDG, 1RD, RNBD, KOD are the only examples I can find- all heavy regiments.