This is an illustration painted for J.W. Fortesque's
'History of the 17th Lancers' by J.P. Beadle
providing us with a view of all ranks of the
period when the 17th were just starting.
This was one of the new Light Dragoon
regiments to be created as such instead
of the previous efforts where certain troops
were selected from Dragoon regiments and
converted to light dragoons.
The mounted officer in the forground is
talking to the farrier who is dressed
completely differently to the rest of the
men. He wears black clothes with white cuffs
and trim. At his left side hangs an axe and
rolled up apron. The axe is to kill lame horses.
Farriers can be seen in the present day
Household Cavalry in dark blue coats carrying
axes. But a farrier's main function was to
shoe horses. He also wears a fur cap with
a horse-shoe badge in front, the traditional
sign of a farrier.
Behind the officer is the trumpeter dressed
differently again, this time in reversed colours
ie. white coat,red facings instead of red coat,
white facings. His hat could be mistaken for a
pirate captain's hat, a bicorn with skull and
crossbones badge (or motto) on it.
This badge has been worn from the beginning
up to the present day. It is not without precedent
as it was used by German hussars at about this
time (the 5th or Totenkopf Hussars). The
regiment was raised by Colonel John Hale
who served with Wolfe in Quebec. He was
greatly affected by the death of Wolfe and
decided to use the deaths head as the badge
of his new regiment in memory of him.
The official birth date of the regiment is 7th
November 1759 when Col. Hale received his
commission to raise the regiment.
