Topic: Officers
A Question of Uniforms
Military Men and Matters
The Montreal Gazette; 14 April 1894
The London Daily News says that the unsuitability of the present regulation dress of our army for fighting and campaign purposes is held by Major-General Sir William Butler to be demonstrated by the fact that whenever a little war is announced the officer who has been fortunate enough to be selected for service instantly discard all idea of proceeding to the scene of strife in the habiliments he has heretofore been wont to wear. He goes straight to his tailor and orders a fighting kit more or less in accordance, so far as clothing is concerned, with what he has worn at polo, deer stalking, or salmon fishing. Canadian homespun, Bedford cord, Indian khaki, French merino, moleskin, are severally ans collectively called for use. Indian puttees, pith, leather, or cork helmets, puggarees of various colors, strange sword belts, boots of buff, gauntlets, revolver cases, and broadswords appear as if by magic; and the man who, during his period of tuition at Aldershot or the Curragh, has been rigidly restrained to the eighth of an inch in width of trouser stripe, and the exactest measure of cuff or collar, become all at once the more variably dressed and accoutred military unit that any army has ever seen. Sir William adds that no army in the world is clothed in a manner so opposite to common sense.
Follow 