Disclaimer:
This is a work in progress and should not be seen as a detailed reference of KAR uniforms from 1900.

Notes:

My understanding for the lack of surviving African kurtas is that time-expired uniforms were sold to Portuguese irregulars to differentiate them from locals, and thus few survive.¹ In contrast with Indian/Sikh kurtas, the African equivalent was collarless and had pointed pockets. Indian equivalents tend to have rectangular pockets with a short, high mandarin collar. I have not seen a surviving KAR kurta to attest to the fabric.

With regards to the red parade fez, few distinctions can be observed between the 1900 pieces and post-war examples. Please note this is a hypothesis due to irregularity among the battalions and the fact that clothing was sourced from the Presidency.

I have included a short description of the evolution of the Central African Rifles uniform from 1890 to 1900 to give some insight into their difficulties. The Central African Rifles were merged with the KAR in 1902, but the dress remained the same.

In the North End War of 1888, native troops were issued with a “narrow band of brightly coloured cloth to tie around [their] head as a distinguishing mark.”² This set the scene for uniformity among African troops. An illustration by Major Lloyd Jones (1893) shows African troops carrying homemade equipment consisting of two braces, a belt, a blanket, long cartridge pockets, and a pouch on a waist belt. He wears a red fez, blue jersey (sewn by the man himself), white breeches, and occasionally blue puttees.³

A similar instance is described in 1898, adding the caption “anything procurable.”⁴ Interestingly, for full dress the KAR other ranks were supposed to wear boots (if sourced), but these rarely materialised. On service, blue jerseys and white breeches were worn.⁵

By 1898, good conduct stripes were introduced, carrying an extra shilling (from the original five shillings a month) for those who had not been sentenced to imprisonment, confined to barracks for seven days, fined more than five shillings, or subjected to corporal punishment.⁶

The men’s clothing and equipment were described as “workmanlike and sufficient.” A khaki uniform was issued free each year, and a blue uniform was issued free on enlistment but maintained by the soldier himself.⁷

Following the formation of 2 CAR in Zomba (January 1899), the battalion was ordered to Mauritius on foreign service after only a month of training. To save money, “all arms, equipment and uniforms were forwarded direct to Mauritius, and in the meantime the hastily raised battalion had only fatigue dress.” Rainstorms and cold weather swept across the camp daily, forcing the battalion to purchase flannel locally to make temporary jackets. Until greatcoats arrived, “the troops paraded in their blankets, draped around their shoulders with the knot under the left ear.”⁸

References:

p.78 The Uganda Rifles and Major Martyr’s Nile Expedition of 1898, Tylden.
p.15 The King’s African Rifles, Bartlett.
p.66 The Uganda Rifles and Major Martyr’s Nile Expedition of 1898, Tylden.
Ibid.
Ibid.
p.75 British Central Africa, 1896–1903: The Accounts of Rifle Brigade Officers Seconded to the British Central African Army, Baker.
Ibid.
p.29 The King’s African Rifles, Bartlett.

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