UNIFORM
(First Introduction of Khaki -1848)
.
Begun in December 1846 the Corps of Guides evolved from an inspired idea of Sir Henry Lawrence, and had (Lt) H. Lumsden as its commandant and (Lt) WSR Hodson as second-in-command. It was just one of Sir Henry Lawrence's many projects in which Hodson was involved. Unusual among fellow officers, Hodson had been a Cambridge graduate upon joining the army and was a keen linguist. Within a few years he was not only commanding the regiment but established himself as the foremost intelligence authority in India. Besides successful campaigns with the regiment, he used his organisational skills to build the famed fort at Mardan in 1854 (the first permanent home of the Guides Corps).
Significantly, among the first duties assigned to Hodson was responsibility for drilling and equipping the new regiment. This also necessitated choosing the regiment's uniform. Accordingly in May 1848 he liaised with his brother - The Rev George Hodson - in England to send all the cloth, rifles and 'Prussian-style' helmets required. With Lumsden's approval Hodson decided upon a lightweight uniform of Khaki colour - or 'Drab' as it was then referred to. This would be comfortable to wear and 'make them invisible in a land of dust'. As a result Hodson and Lumsden had the joint distinction - 150 years ago - of being the first officers to equip a regiment dressed in Khaki. Many view it as the precursor of modern camouflage uniform. (Note: Prior to receiving their drab/khaki uniform from England the Guides had no uniform and only wore their native dresses - as confirmed by L. Trotter's biography on Hodson)
All this is well documented in Hodson's letters and diaries, and was the first reference to their Drab or Khaki uniform (again see Trotter's biography). His brother George wrote soon after: "This was the first of a series of commission s connected with clothing and arming the Guides Corps which was left in my brother's hands and of much interest to him. The colour selected for their uniform was 'drab' as most likely to make them invisible in a land of dust". On sending out 'drab' clothing for 900 men as well as 300 rifled carbines he commented it "seemed scarcely a clerical business". However, the result was satisfactory as the following year WSR Hodson wrote to his brother: "Many thanks for the trouble you have taken about clothing the Guides. Sir Charles Napier says they are the only properly dressed light troops he has seen in India".
Written in 1849 this letter corresponds with the first official reference to their 'mud-coloured' uniform. Also, it should be noted, a number of other regiments followed the example of the Guides and Hodson. However, none had the benefit of receiving 'drab cloth' specially bought and sent from England. Thus they were forced to improvise, dying their white tunics drab/khaki - dust or mud coloured. (In fact, Hodson makes reference to his uniform as 'dirt-coloured').
After commanding the Corps of Guides (Major) Hodson was asked to form his own regiment in May 1857 and again he chose khaki/drab as the colour of his uniform. Having permission to raise an unlimited number of recruits his force expanded considerably.
Surprisingly it was not until 1885 that the entire army in India followed suit. It then took fifteen years before the British military adopted the uniform - referred to as KD, Khaki Drill - to fight the Boer War. Khaki has since, of course, been used by armies throughout the world.
. * * *
.
Captain L.J. Trotter, Life of Hodson of Hodson's Horse, 1910
P. Lumsden & G. Elmsie, Lumsden of the Guides, 1899
B. Joynson Cork, Rider on a Light Horse (A Life of Hodson of Hodson's Horse) 1958
.
.
.
.
by:drmiller
