Uniforms and Equipment of the Old Army - Cavalry - Cuirassiers - The Tunic

A dark blue tunic was also part of the cuirassiers' uniforming.

This had a rounded collar and Swedish-style sleeve cuffs.

The collars on the privates were not a single solid color but dark blue with collar patches in the respective regiment color.

The tunic is described by Mila (History of Clothing and Equipment of the Royal Prussian Army 1808 - 1878, Berlin 1878, reprint Krefeld, p. 161 ff.) as follows:

"Dark blue cloth tunics for garrison duty,..., introduced by A.K.O. of 19 September 1848.-

A. Privates: dark blue collars which, also in the two guard regiments, are rounded under the chin and on each side covered with a patch in the color of the collar patches found on the white koller; in Regiment No. 6, however, they are covered with ponceau red patches; Swedish cuffs in the color of the collar patches of the tunic, each with two buttons; white shoulder straps with a facing in the color of the collar patches of the tunic, in Regiment No. 6 and since October 1866 also in Regiment No. 1 with a crowned yellow name stripe as on the shoulder straps of the koller; around collar and cuffs a braid as on the koller, in Regiment No. 6 with ponceau red trim stripe; colored facing running down the front of the coat and on the pocket flaps; in Regiment No. 1 and 8 white, in No. 6 and the Guard Cuirassier Regiment ponceau red, in the other regiments of the color of the collar patches; in the two guard regiments one white cord on each collar patch, two white cords on each cuff; eight white or rather yellow buttons down the front of the coat.

These coats were completely discontinued for the privates of the line cuirassier regiments from 12.06.1851; however, according to the clothing regulations of 1868 they were again granted to the regiments as off-establishment items."

E. Non-commissioned officers: According to AKO of 30.08.1844 the non-commissioned officers received blue tunics - like the officers.

These were permitted as off-establishment by A.K.O. of 12.06.1851.

The braid of the NCOs is affixed on the braid line at the collar and cuffs in the same manner as on the white koller."

Supplementary note according to Pietsch (The History of Formations and Uniforming of the Prussian Army 1808 - 1914, Vol. 2, Cavalry ..., Hamburg 1966, p. 57): From 1903 the shoulder boards of Regiment No. 6 received blue facings.

The tunic also belonged to the officers' uniform.

The clothing regulation for officers and medical officers of the Royal Prussian Army (Berlin 1896, p. 50 ff.) basically gives the following specifications for this uniform piece:

A. Construction.

Frock-coat with a single row of buttons on the right breast. Base material: dark blue (green or cornflower blue), cloth or doeskin, duffel., Eskimo. Facing of the distinguishing color, generally of cloth.

a) Standing collar: if embroidered angular, otherwise rounded; in the former case closable by three, in the latter by two or three hooks and eyes; facing of base or distinguishing color.

b) Sleeve cuffs: Brandenburg style. (omitted for the cuirassiers).

Swedish style. Opened outward as an extension of the sleeve seam and together with the sleeve forming an overflap closable by a black button and buttonhole. Partial facing (according to the distinguishing colors) of differently colored cloth along the upper edge.

c) Facings, almost always of cloth: running down the front as an edging of the breastpiece and front skirt on both parts (beginning at the collar seam) as well as on the pocket flaps; their color usually matching collar and cuffs.

d) Skirts cut round, divided at the back and provided with triangular, scalloped pocket flaps.

e) For fastening the epaulettes or shoulder pieces there serve the shoulder buttons fastened with an eyelet 2.5 cm from the collar seam (screw, etc. buttons permitted);

6 cm from these the epaulette supports made of twice the lengthwise fold with silver braid threaded with black silk, their cloth holder of the color of the epaulette lining,

0.4 cm from the sleeve seam: a cloth eyelet for the tongue of the shoulder pieces of the color of the tunic.

Buttons: convex; gilt or silvered;;

front eight, the top 2 cm from the collar seam, the lowest with its eyelet on the waist seam, the other six evenly distributed between them, correspondingly eight buttonholes on the left breastpiece, front 2 cm from the outer coat (facing) edge;

for Brandenburg cuffs (omitted for the cuirassiers);

for Swedish cuffs two each: 2 cm from the upper edge and 7 cm apart (measured from center to center of button).

g) Skirt lining black; sleeve lining light.

Deviations.

...

Cuirassiers.

a) The collar and cuffs colored all around in the form and with the braid trimming as on the koller, ..., for Cuirassier 1 of velvet; facings (of cloth) for Guard Cuirassiers ponceau red, Cuirassiers 1 and 8 white,

b) flat buttons;

c) skirt lining: Gardes du Corps and Guard Cuirassiers ponceau red, line cuirassiers white;

d) approximately 13 cm below the waist seam of the left front skirt: a horizontal slit - 6.5 cm wide - for passing the sword through, with an overflap."

The officer corps of the Regiment of the Gardes du Corps and the Guard Cuirassiers also had a gala tunic of ponceau red cloth.

This had an angular collar and Swedish sleeve cuffs with embroidery and facing.

All facings and skirt (cloth) lining for the Gardes du Corps were dark blue, for the Guard Cuirassiers white.

The buttons were flat.