{"id":5240,"date":"2026-07-17T08:30:44","date_gmt":"2026-07-17T08:30:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/dorset-history-centre-blog\/?p=5240"},"modified":"2026-06-24T13:11:55","modified_gmt":"2026-06-24T13:11:55","slug":"the-dorset-regiment-an-abridged-retelling-of-regimental-and-uniform-history-part-2-the-19th-century","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk\/dorset-history-centre-blog\/2026\/07\/17\/the-dorset-regiment-an-abridged-retelling-of-regimental-and-uniform-history-part-2-the-19th-century\/","title":{"rendered":"The Dorset Regiment: An Abridged Retelling of Regimental and Uniform History (Part 2: The 19th Century)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hello again readers. This is the second of our blogs about the history of the Dorset regiments, with special emphasis on how uniforms changed over the years. If you missed it, the first part, covering the 18th Century is here.<\/a> This time we are going to concentrate on the nineteenth century.<\/p>\n

At the end of the eighteenth and beginning of the nineteenth centuries, the country was still under threat from France. Against this background, and to protect Dorset from the risk of invasion, a militia was raised, initially named the Yeomanry Corps of Light Cavalry or the Dorset Volunteer Rangers (DVR.)1<\/sup> The uniform consisted of a dark green jacket and waistcoat with yellow buttons (inscribed DVR) and black velvet upturned collar and cuffs, topped with a round hat with a bearskin and green feathers.) In 1803 the DVR became known as the Dorset Yeomanry Cavalry until it was disbanded, once France was defeated at Waterloo in 1815.<\/p>\n

In 1830, the south of England was affected by riots and disturbances, known as the Swing Riots. In this climate, it was deemed necessary to re-form the yeomanry in 1831. This time they were called Princess Victoria\u2019s Regiment of Dorset Yeomanry Cavalry and then, later, became the Queen\u2019s Own Dorset Yeomanry. In 1831 it was decided that all cavalry (except for Horse Guards) should wear red. This meant that a new uniform was needed; a scarlet jacket, silver lace collar and cuffs, black trousers with two scarlet stripes.2<\/sup><\/p>\n

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D-DOY\/A\/9\/4\/1: Painting of the Queen\u2019s Own Royal Yeomanry Cavalry dated 1853, showing 2 horses and officers in the foreground. In the background is a row of soldiers, mostly wearing red uniforms.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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The Dorsetshire Regiment<\/h3>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>Getting back to the Dorset Regiment, as we outlined in our first blog, the regiment was initially raised as the 39th and 54th Regiments of Foot (in 1702 and 1755.) The regiments served in Ireland, Gibraltar, America and India. They also fought against Napoleon in the Peninsular War and Egypt. In the 19th<\/sup>\u00a0century they were again in India, Australia and saw service in Burma and the Crimea.<\/p>\n

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https:\/\/www.hippostcard.com\/listing\/dorsetshire-regiment-1813-victorian-sergeant-uniform-military-postcard\/43742440<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The biggest changes in the 19th<\/sup> century came in 1881 when the 39th<\/sup>\u00a0and 54th<\/sup>\u00a0Foot amalgamated to become to form the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the new Dorsetshire Regiment. This came about as part of a wider programme of reforms called the Cardwell Reforms (1868\u20131874) and Childers Reforms (1881.) Britain’s previous system of gentleman-soldiers was seen to be outdated and inefficient, compared to the Prussian system of military organisation. This had become evident with Germany’s triumph in the Franco-Prussian war. Changes included enforcing standardised territorial facings on uniforms, which replaced a chaotic assortment of old regimental colours. As a result, the new Dorsetshire Regiment adopted white collars, cuffs, and white piping on their scarlet tunics.<\/p>\n

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Here are the specific uniform changes and distinctions that occurred that year:<\/p>\n

The Shift to White Facings: <\/strong>Before 1881, every regiment had its own “facings” (the colour of the collar and cuffs on the red tunic). For example:<\/p>\n