Officers with Colours c1870

Watercolour by O Norie of the Grenadier Guards parading. The officers are wearing their gold and crimson sashes and gold swordbelts so this must be a preparation for a review by the Queen. They are also parading their Colours which at this stage have a spear head instead of the lion and crown device. It is interesting to see the Colour belts here, which are gold laced and elaborately buckled. The tunics have the reduced length skirts and show the 4 gold button loops on the rear of the skirt. The badges of rank are on the collar and the shoulders have gold twist epaulettes. The trousers are not blue since a new colour was introduced in 1868 called Oxford Mixture which is sort of dark brown. The swords are kept in steel scabbards. The officer with his back to us, addressing the Ensigns is a field officer, probably a major as the commanding officer would be mounted or at least be wearing spurs.

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