"Sudanese in the Egyptian Army 1880's" Topic

I am looking to confirm that the Sudanese who served in the Egyptian army during the 1880s, prior to the British reorganization after the war of 1882 wore the same uniform as the Egyptians – i.e. the white tunic and pants, black equipment and red fez [summer uniform] and not counting the Sudanese Gendarme who wore the Zouave style uniform. From what I've read this is hte case, but I've not yet found any thing finite or any pictorial evidence. Thank you,

Terry

Yes it is, although from service on the frontier(the Sudanese units were scattered all over some of the worst places in the Sudan!) there was a lot of variation in the uniform, including sandals instead of shoes, straw/cloth covers for the fez, faded colors on the trousers, etc., so my suggestion is to give them more of a ragged appearance, especially if they've been out in the desert outposts for several years. This changed during the reforms in the late 80s/early 90s.

I would like to find images of the troops in the garrisons of Slatin, Emin, and Gordon's other lieutenants. However, they seem rather hard to discover.

Allen

Allen,
Have you looked at Slatin's book? The copy I got via interlibrary loan several years ago had illustrations. Most of these show soldiers in white (or perhaps khaki) Egyptian style uniforms with puttees, though there is one man in a zouave like outfit. I don't know what the history of the drawings is, and they may reflect uniforms at the time Slatin wrote, rather than when he was in command.
Grelber

I will have to look at Slatin again. Some of the period illustrations (as in "Heroes of the Dark Continent", about Stanley and Gordon and others) seem to have some fanciful aspects to them. As I recall, "Heroes" had black Egyptian troops in very baggy white trousers and white tunics, somewhat reminiscent of the 19th Sudanese battalion that went to Mexico.

I'm a bit leery of drawings, because you can never be sure what information the artist was working from, as you say. But photographs are more rare than hens' teeth. So I will check. Thanks!

Allen

The Madhist Wars Source Book vol. 1 Covers Baker Pasha's disasterous campaing in 1883. It has information and illustrations of uniforms. aegiscg47' descriptions are essentially correct.
Andrew