"Sudan 1881–85 Royal Marines Light Infantry" Topic

Hi All

I am trying to discover if, and if so how, the RMLI uniform and equipment differed from regular light infantry, of the period.

Thanks in advance.

JJ

If I recall they had white load bearing equipment and a light grayish uniform. There is a pretty good painting guide on the Perry website.

It depends which references you take as being accurate and of course several might all be correct. However, Melton Prior the war artist who drew sketches of the El Teb action that he was present at, noted that all troops were in grey except the Royal Marines in blue. You can see this footnote on one of his sketches. This sketch appears in both the Perry Sudan book and the Osprey Campaign book – Khartoum.

Now that isn't to say the RMLI didn't also fight in grey as some stage but it strongly suggests that they did fight in blue at least once. Personally I'll take the notes of somebody who was actually there observing the action over any other source for that one battle.

Somebody on one of the C19th war forums has conclusive proof that they were ordered to stain their white pith helmets before landing. Whether they actually did is open to conjecture. FWIW I have my RMLI in blue with stained helmets.

Naval officers were reported by some sources to have been wearing full uniform in action including their ties.

Hello Timmo

Thank you for this.

I am aware of Prior's description of the RMLI arriving in blue with pipeclayed webbing and white helmets.

Apart from colour, would their uniforms and webbing have been the same as the infantry's?

I am wondering about their equipment too: for example were they equipped with a regular bayonet rather than a sword bayonet with cutlass guard?

Cheers
JJ

As far as I'm aware the kit was the same as the regular infantry including the regular bayonet. My supposition is that the navy regarded them as soldiers and the naval brigade manning the machine guns as sailors hence the sword bayonet. You have to wonder at their bravery to fight in close combat with just a cap or a sennet hat, for head protection. Why they weren't issued with helmets is beyond me. Perhaps they were or they acquired them.