Afghan Regular Army - Infantryman 1885.jpg

10. Infantryman 1885

This soldier is one of those who fought the Russians at Tahkepri in Penjdeh, from a picture of General Ghaus-ud-Din Khan and his troops in the Illustrated London News of 16 May 1885, which shows other men wearing turbans similar to those of Indian troops. Yate provides assorted details of infantry at this date, observing, for instance, that ‘happy is the Afghan who can swagger about in the British soldier’s red tunic’ (noting in passing how many different English county regiments’ badges might be seen on these), but that it was difficult to distinguish regiments from one another on parade ‘as only a portion of the men were clad in uniform’, even though most wore the ‘regulation felt hat’. The only uniform colours he specifically mentions are red, and ‘dirty khaki coats and white trousers’. Two infantry regiments seen by Kipling at Rawalpindi the same year wore ‘white duck trousers, European boots, and a tunic of blue with red trimmings’.

Contemporary pictures indicate that Afghan soldiers now generally wore beards and no longer shaved their heads, some actually being shown with quite long hair, though this may have depended on ethnic background. Why or when these changes came about is not apparent.

• Источник: Ian Heath. A most villainous-looking cavalcade: The Afghan Regular Army in the 19th Century / Wargames Illustrated №№93 - 95