British uniforms 1879-1885 - same?

[answer_is_42]

Oh dear, let’s not get started on the colour of the helmets, last time that happened on here it went on for two pages and still no-one could agree...

Here's an interesting drawing for you though, two privates of the 1st Bttn 24th at the start of the invasion of Zululand, in the uniforms they had been wearing throughout the Xhosa Wars;


Just demonstrates that whatever the uniform was officially the reality was always rather different.

[former user]

indeed, this aspect is usually the most interesting in uniforms for me, thx

about the helmets, I only wanted to contribute from a different angle 
I am always keen to gather more knowledge about pith helmets

[Emir of Askaristan]

Thanks chaps I caught this topic just in time. I've been looking at doing much the same thing and have settled on "earlier" period Zulu War.

However....

I fancy some cavalry and know that Dragoons served in '79, '81 and '82. I intended using Perry Hussars as my cavalry (19th ie those without spike on helmet). What I can't find out from my own sources is-

1) was there a difference in Hussar and Dragoon uniform?
2) was there a difference in equipment / uniform cut  between the campaigns?

I've not seen anything startling to suggest the difference are really noticeable..but im just checking..!

[joroas]

Every army is a compromise, take the ACW, for example: Early or late war, Eastern or Western, campaign or full dress, which uniform issue or Corps badges and flags, historic character generals ..........  Or, do you just create an army that is generic and looks right.....  And that is one war in one country over 4 years........

[Plynkes]

Pre-Khaki Light Dragoons and Hussars wore dark blue uniforms, Heavy Dragoons wore red ones. I think by 1861 all Light Dragoon regiments had been "rebranded" as Hussars, anyway, so you don't have to worry about them.

Once you are into the Khaki era, cavalry is pretty much cavalry and the fancy names are just fancy names, apart from the Lancers (who have lances of course).

[timg]

Hussars wore the usual yellow/gold frogged dark blue tunics, Lancers plastron fronted tunics in blue except for the 16th who wore scarlet tunics and Dragoons/Dragoon Guards normal single breasted scarlet tunics except for the 6th who wore dark blue. These are the dress uniforms some of which were worn on campaign, the 17th Lancers for example in the Zulu War.

For campaign kit style You could get some Sudan war Hussars and paint the tunics dark blue with shoulder chains to represent the patrol jackets that were coming into more use during the late 1870's/80's (Not sure how common these were in combat though but were definitely begining to be worn as undress by then.) Heavies wore red patrol tunics and Lancers blue except for the 16th who wore red. Khaki is so much easier though, as Plynkes says apart from the lances it was all just a name by then.