A long time ago, Britain and America were at war. During one battle, the Americans captured a British Colonel. They took him to their headquarters, and the American General began to question him. Finally, as an afterthought, the American General asked, "Why do you British officers all wear red coats? Don't you know the red material makes you easier targets for us to shoot at?"
In his casual, matter-of-fact, way, the officer informed the General that the reason British officers wear red coats is so that if they are wounded, the blood won't show, and the men they are leading won't panic.
And that is why, from that day forward, all American Army officers wear brown trousers.
:D :D ;)
Cheers - Phil
=O =O =O
Too true!
Never have forgiven them for beating you, have you?
Quote from: FierceKitty on 25 October 2013, 09:59:47 AM
Never have forgiven them for beating you, have you?
The Americans?
The Americans didn't beat us ... the French had to come and save them from us.
Something modern Americans seem to conveniently forget :)
Actually most of the English troops were Germans and they lost to other German mercenaries (and some Dutchies).
Contrary to other believe the Lexington Garrison surrendered to the French, not anyone else.
=O =O =O
;D
That made me giggle.
Quote from: FierceKitty on 25 October 2013, 09:59:47 AM
Never have forgiven them for beating you, have you?
Besides which, we beat them in the rematch with the second squad.
My C/o told me once that After the ECW, the parliamentarians had a surplus of red dye because it was the easiest to produce thus was used for military coats , this became the tradition of the British army until it was changed to Khaki. I don't think the story of hiding the blood was ever really factual but I wasn't there so who know ?
Just thought I would put that out there :D
Paul
I thought it was the New Model Army's preferred colour?
Yeh , my C/O said that they were the first to adopt it and it just carried on. He was an authority on military uniforms, clever bloke for a Rupert ...lol
Quote from: fsn on 25 October 2013, 05:16:26 PM
I thought it was the New Model Army's preferred colour?
We were having a chat in the pub recently where this came up, and as far as I remember, chalkie is right in that it was the only coloured cloth available in bulk when they needed to fit out the troops. I may be wrong though, there was beer involved, although not on my part...! :D
I also read somewhere that the red coats made it hard for the enemy to count the numbers of troops at a distance (not sure how true that is)
Real reason - red dye was the second cheapest - after none, so when the New Noddle was formed it used red as cheapest dye, none being too similar to the large Newcastles Rgt, on t'other side.
IanS
I always understood that it was the red sash the officers wore, and that was large enough to carry a wounded man in, that was supposed to hide the blood.
Quote from: ianrs54 on 26 October 2013, 06:45:41 AM
Real reason - red dye was the second cheapest - after none, so when the New Noddle was formed it used red as cheapest dye, none being too similar to the large Newcastles Rgt, on t'other side.
IanS
This was my understanding too - red was the prefered colour because it happened to be the cheapest at the time when uniformity really kicked off.
Now, the first reference to red coated musketeers serving in an English army is another thing altogether. Before Hugh O'Neill (Baron Dungannon, later Earl of Tyrone) rebelled against Elizabeth I (1593? 1594?), he provided her with English trained Irish shot, all provided with red jackets/doublets in her struggles against other Irish lords. As far as I know, that is the earliest reference to red as a uniform as part of an English force.
Of course, Lykourgos the pseudo-historical Spartan lawgiver suggested that Spartans should all dress in red as it was the manliest of colours.
Neither of these points take away from the fact that our cousins across the waters need to wear brown trousers, at least from time to time. When do you think that tradition started then...? Not as early as 1812 sure? :-\
I don't reckon they beat us...I think someone in the British Parliament had a premonition of what America would become and got the hell out :D
http://www.usdebtclock.org/