# real history of the infantry red sash



## pro patria (31 Dec 2004)

The reason   i will post this is to end the disscussion on this topic, This the same copy i sent to the RCR museum in Lonodon ONT. They use it in thier location. So here it goes

History of the Infantry Red Sash

The crimson sash denotes command authority and was used as a badge of rank. The first mention of the crimson sash was with the pikeman in 1660 this was characteristic of pikeman`s dress until his clothing was assimilated by the regiment.   The British army issued clothing regulations in 1727, regulations were vague on whether it was to be worn over the shoulder or around the waist this was clarified in 1745.   Sergeants of the Somerset light infantry are the only regiment in the British army who are entitled to wear their sashes with the knot on the right side the same as officers, this distinction was granted because of the gallantry of the sergeants of the regiment at the battle of Culloden on April 16th 1746. (Confirmed a Horse Guard order of April 3rd 1865) whilst the rest of the British army were to wear theirs on the left.   The true records of this change were destroyed at the battle of Azihghur in 1868. The precise origin of this custom is unknown; the sashes for sergeants of the 13th foot guard were crimson worst with a white stripe.     Other facing colors are black, navy blue, green, yellow, buff, and white.   The single stripe sergeant's sash was replaced in 1826 with a three-stripped sash with a cord made in the same fashion as the infantry officers sashes.     Nineteen years later this pattern gave away to an all crimson wool girdle sash with eyes and no knot, tassels or fringe.     The facing color in the sergeant `s sash disappeared. The sash was made by the same techniques called spranging the result was much like a netting that could widen and contract was that if an officer was wounded on the battle field his sash could be used as a stretcher the original purpose of the sash construction started to lose its meaning when the sash was gradually reduced for convenient wearing it is obvious from the various lengths of surviving sashes they were intended to go around the waist twice however they were spranged like the officers sashes there were a number of variations some fringed, frayed or knotted. Today, infantry senior NCOs wears their sashes mainly for regimental duties such as parades and duty NCM.

NOTE: Crismson : a deep to vivd purplish red to vivd red

Sash : A band or ribbon worn about the waist, as for ornament,or over the shoulder as a symbol of rank


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