by MATTHEW MOSS
For centuries the British army was famous for its red coats, which its soldiers had worn since the late 1600s. But by the end of the 19th century, war had evolved and troops now fought with highly accurate, repeating magazine rifles—making red or scarlet an increasingly dangerous color.
In the First Boer War from 1880 to ’81, Boer irregulars armed with modern rifles inflicted heavy casualties on the British. One of the perceived reasons for this was that the British soldiers’ coats made them obvious targets against the brush of the veld.
British troops fought in red for the last time at the Battle of Gennis in 1885, after which khaki field dress was standard for campaigning. Khaki originated in India, where it had been worn since the early 1850s. It was first worn by British troops outside India during the Abyssinian campaign from 1867 to ’68 after which it steadily became more popular.
In 1902, the British Army introduced the khaki field service dress, although the famous scarlet coats remained for parades and home service.
