"Indian Army Corps of Guides; red facings or just piping?" Topic

Ahoy! I'm looking for a more definitive answer to the question, the Corps of Guides in the Indian Army c. 1880, was this unit in red facings or simply red piping at thisa time? Campaign dress, in khaki. And what was the color of the dress pugri? I see notations about blue and white, or blue-white-gold for some officers, but what exactly, and what pattern of stripes on that?

My unit a-building thanks you from Peshawar!

Ahoy, piper909,

The answer is solid red facings. I have seen these in at least one, probably several photos of Guides taken during the Second Afghan War. I've also seen the official uniform regulations c.1855 given as "red piping" rather than solid red cuffs, but as with virtually all things 19th Century Anglo-Indian army related, this contradiction is not really a surprise. Some time between the end of the Second Afghan War and 1897 the red collar and cuffs were replaced with a simpler solid khaki kurta for wear in the field, as I've seen photos of Guides infantry in the Mohmand Field Force so dressed.

Here's a color drawing of an sepoy and British officer of the Guides Infantry c.1880:

RE: the "dress pugri" -- here's a Risaldar of Guides Cavalry c.1900 as painted by the very talented Chater Paul Chater:

Ah, the Guides Cavalry tartan !!

Agreed – the Canadian Guides, roughly the same period, also had solid red facings

Very good information, thanks all! Work proceeds. I found a few other period illustrations to lend some aid as well. Plus reviewed some overlooked books in my library.