White or Khaki harness: A Colonial button-counter's question

[Arlequín]

Not forgetting black for the KRRC. 

[Plynkes]

Not forgetting? I didn't forget that. 

Came in black or buff...

KAR had black Slade-Wallace too, pre-war.

[Arlequín]

That will teach me to read properly.  

I've no real idea, but I suspect that they would all come from the supplier in the buff and the recruit's first task would be to apply the relevant colour as part of the 'bull, blanco and brasso' system.

Going back to the OP though, it would depend upon how rigidly the rules were applied. If your RSM or Colonel was a martinet, he'd insist that the regulations were for white (or black etc) equipment and woe betide any man who did different. A more practical commander might be a bit less stiff on campaign, but even as late as the 2nd Boer War, the outline of a soldier's equipment provided a convenient aiming point.



These men were photographed in Cardigan on their return from South Africa in 1902. Their equipment is white, but use has worn it back to the buff in places of heavy wear. This implies that regular blancoing had stopped, but there appears to be no effort made to 'camouflage' the equipment.



Whether they are wearing worn-white, or 'tea-dyed' equipment, this Maxim crew's equipment is clearly much lighter than their uniform, which itself was much lighter than the later 'khaki' in general use (as in the photo above).

Bearing in mind that all the photographic evidence shows lighter equipment, or darker if it's brown or black, and the original picture is an 'artists impression', then the reason why most people paint their equipment white or off-white is because it was.

 

[Plynkes]

Yes, that is certainly true for the white equipment, which started out buff. I don't know about the black though, that may actually have been black leather. Not sure.

[Arlequín]

I'd doubt it, but it's possible. Thinking logically it would make sense to have it all buff, which would ease construction and supply. That was the case with the later '08 and '38 webbing at least, it came in one colour and it was up to the squaddie to make it the colour it was supposed to be, which in the case of those regiments which wore black, meant boot polish was used. As kit was re-issued over and over, you might even get a white belt which had to be made black. As soldiers had to pay for cleaning materials out of their own pocket, providing 'one finish suits all' would be quite a saving for the MoD.

Like I said, I've no real idea, but as it's the British government we are talking about, my money's on them saving a few pence by issuing them 'unfinished'.

 

[gloriousbattle]

Not to hijack my own thread (though I now, of course, proceed to do just that) but how did that guy on the right manage to get/stay fat during that conflict?  Quartermaster?  Come to think of it, the guy on the left could use a few hours on stairmaster as well... 

[Arlequín]

I couldn't really say, but a possibility is sustained blockhouse duty with nothing but tins of bully beef and a pack of cards to hold back the monotony. I don't know which regiment they belong to, but I'm guessing they are reservists or Territorials. Who knows, the guy on the right might have lost some weight while he was out there.