Spahis Postcards

The French do such wonderful postcards

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A common practice in 18th century armies was to put drummers, trumpeters and bandsmen into reversed uniforms i.e. if your regiment wore red coats with yellow facings then put your musicians and other noise-makers into yellow coats with red facings. The practice survived through the Napoleonic Wars and then faded away - probably for reasons of economy and also because individuals dressed differently from the comrades around them tended to draw fire. While a unit in battle could probably cope with its regimental band being decimated, the loss of trumpeters and drummers could mean a serious breakdown in relaying orders.

Probably the only modern example of this historic practice is the US Marine Corps Band in Washington DC, who parade in red tunics with blue-black facings - the reversal of the well known USMC dark-blue with red piping. However France's Algerian Spahi regiments retained reverse uniforms for their buglers until 1905. The reconstructions shown above show, at right, a spahi bugler in the blue over red of 1857-1905 and, at left, an NCO bugler of the same regiment in the red over blue which survived for Bastile Day parades and the like until the end of French rule in Algeria (1962). While most Spahi units were mechanised during WWII, a couple of mounted squadrons were retained in Paris and Algiers for primarily ceremonial duties - a function enhanced by their white Arab horses and flowing cloaks as shown.

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Lalaisse, 1855-56[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]