T H E C O V E N A N T E R
improved a hunderedfold; and no obstacle part of Wavell’s narrative that a reference
whatsoever intervenes at this moment set me off on the trail of the origins of
expect ignorance to prevent such a state of khaki uniforms. And here I must confess
society from becoming universal.’ Robert my ignorance. I had at the back of my mind
Owen 1816. the idea that khaki had been conceived for
use by the army in South Africa at about
Bill Coughlan. this time. (That’s what comes from sleeping
through many of the lectures at Sandhurst.)
The Wearing of The Green,
Of course I was wrong. It first appeared
in India half a century earlier. and this is
and The Khaki, and The Black.
how.
In 1846 a new Guide Corps was formed for
Readers will indulge me, I hope, if I take a
service on the North West Frontier of India.
rather circuitous route to arrive at my start-
Its commandant was a Lieutenant Lumsden
point. But bear with me: you may yet find
and his adjutant (who was also effectively
something of interest hidden here.
second-in-command) was Lieutenant WSR
All of you will have heard of the great
Hodson. One of the duties assigned to
World War II leader Field Marshal Lord
Hodson was responsibility for equipping
Wavell. Some of you may have read his
the new regiment. This also necessitated
biography and a few may even be aware
his choosing the regiment’s uniform.
that it has a second volume completed
Accordingly in May 1848 he liaised with
after the death of the original biographer
his brother in England, The Rev George
(John Connell) and covering Wavell’s years
Hodson, to send all of the cloth, rifles,
in India and beyond. Some of you will
and Prussian-style helmet required. With
have read Wavell’s wonderful collection of
Lumsden’s approval Hodson decided upon
poetry, Other Men’s Flowers, put together
a lightweight uniform of “khaki” colour -
during the war and, by all accounts, almost
or “drab” as it was then called. This would
entirely from memory. Not for nothing was
be comfortable to wear and “make them
volume one of his biography (published by
invisible in a land of dust”. Khaki is the
Collins in 1964) called Scholar and Soldier.
Urdu (and Persian) word for dusty.
Some also may know that Wavell wrote
William Hodson was an interesting
another book during the war: a biography
character. There can have been few cavalry
of Field Marshal Lord Allenby. I confess I
subalterns in those days (and not many
had forgotten this entirely until just a few
now) with a Cambridge degree as well as
months ago when I lit upon and bought a
a facility for and an interest in languages.
first edition of it. Now pause for a moment
He joined the Indian Army in 1845 and
and think about the man who could write
served with the 2nd Grenadiers before
on that scale and to that quality while
joining the new Guide Corp two years
holding some of the most onerous offices
later. After a period as an assistant district
of war.
commissioner he returned to command the
I read the biography of Wavell shortly
Guides from 1852 to ‘54. Later, during the
after it was published. At that time I was
Indian Mutiny, he was given a commission
acting as the Arena Officer for the Edinburgh
to raise his own regiment, Hodson’s Horse.
Military Tattoo. As such I had a room in the
In 1858 he was shot and killed in action.
Castle Mess. I was much amused to read
Hodson’s Horse have the distinction of
that wavell, as a Black Watch subaltern, had
having had khaki chosen as their own and
joined in a competition with a friend to see
only uniform.
if they could drive a golf ball from the roof
It was not until 1885 that the entire
of the Mess into Princess Street Gardens!
army in India adopted khaki. It then took a
That pales by comparison though with an
further fifteen years before the British army
escapade of the 1960’s when some soldiers
as a whole adopted the uniform, referred to
of the **** and **** Highlanders, on duty in
as khaki drill, to fight the Boer War. (So I
the Castle, bombarded the citizenry of the
was at least right about that bit.) The only
the Grass Market with snooker balls!
references to be found in the Regimental
Wavell tells us that Allenby spent many
History (volume one, page 292) are:
of his early years as a cavalry officer in
“At the end of 1909 the 1st battalion left
South Africa in the late 1800’s. He saw a
Bombay for South Africa... equipment is being
lot of action at every level of regimental
brought into line with the needs of modern
command. It was while I was reading this
warfare; at Bloemfontein the black greatcoats

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