CAVALRY DISTINCTIONS
The Household Cavalry are now the only British Cavalry still wearing the polished steel cuirass. Yet each of the regiments has little differences apparent only to the close observer. Thus, the 1st Life Guards wear a red cord as their shoulder belts and black sheep-skins on their saddles, the 2nd Life Guards wearing a blue cord and white sheep-skins. The seven regiments of Dragoon Guards differ somewhat from each other in point of uniform. They, with the Royal Engineers, are the only regiments in the army to wear velvet facings. Their helmets are of brass, the helmets of the Household Cavalry and Dragoons being of white metal. The three regiments of Dragoons are representative of England, Scotland and Ireland, being the 1st Royal Dragoons, Royal Scots Greys and Inniskilling Dragoons, the Greys being distinctive by reason of the colour of their horses and their bearskin head-dress.
Each of the twelve regiments of Hussars, introduced into the service in 1806 as Light Dragoons, has also certain distinctions of dress, as also have the six regiments of Lancers, the best known of which is perhaps the 17th Lancers on account of its grim crest, a skull with crossbones, which, with its motto "Or Glory" has led to its popular name of "The Death or Glory Boys." It is an interesting fact that the 17th Lancers in 1795 provided a detachment for service on H.M.S. "Hermione" as Marines, and were promptly nicknamed "The Horse Marines." Lancer regiments were introduced into the British Army in 1816.
Each regiment of Dragoon Guards carries a standard on ceremonial occasions, and Dragoon regiments carry a guidon (a swallow-tailed standard). Hussar and Lancer regiments do not carry standards, bearing their battle honours on their appointments.