ID sabre

[kronckew]

his uniform is rather officer-ish - i can't read the print at the bottom - too small.

in general, officers only have been allowed to wear gold hat bands,chin straps, sleeve braiding, trouser stripes, etc.

it lets the snipers know who to shoot. and is why modern officers wear subdued rank insignia on their combat uniforms.

in the past it was generally agreed to, by the officers at least, that 'no undue attention to the officers was to be permitted'. more accurate long range rifles and dedicated snipers in the american civil war* and other countries kind of ended that tho. the boers especially were fond of potting british officers in their nice distinctive uniforms, prompting them & their men all to dress in khaki thereafter.

*- there was a famous union general who on may 9, 1864, went to the front line and remarked to his men, who had taken cover from the confederates, secure in the knowledge that they were mostly armed with their old smoothbore muskets, "stand up, men. they couldn't hit an elephant at this dist...." when he was shot between the eyes. he had a nice funeral, i hear. he, major general john sedgwick, was the highest ranking officer killed in the civil war.