Austrian Knots on British Tunics

[Silent Invader]

Can anyone clarify British Line Infantry use of Austrian Knots at the cuffs?

The 1883 Uniform Regs state they are a requirement for officers but....

The Perry Zulu War plastics (up to 1881) have them for ORs but the Sudan set (1877-1885) do not. I’ve seen artwork dated 1890s that does not include them for ORs.

Can anyone enlighten me as to what the change was and when?

[Plynkes]

This kind of thing is always a bit tricky, none of my books seem to quite have the all the required info. 

But it does seem that the 1881 regs did away with any kind of trefoil braiding on the cuffs for other ranks, definitely for the frock, and seemingly for the dress tunic too. Though there seem to have been exceptions, with some regiments insisting on putting it back on, against regulations! Also, you still see them on the dress uniforms of some types other than the regular infantry, such as the Royal Engineers, Army Service Corps and Commissariat & Transport.

Your Perry Afghanistan/Sudan boys are in undress khaki, and that uniform doesn't seem to have ever had any fancy braid or anything like that, as far as I can tell. Again, there may have been exceptions.

[Silent Invader]

Thanks Plynkes. They don’t make it easy for us do they ?!