United States Hussar (Deaths Head) Totenkopf

We still need 3 of the uniforms shown in post #28. we have 1 Southern and 2 Northern hussars.
 
Typical French comment,:nah disagree: I wonder what General Maximilien Foy would have made of the American Hussars.
The uniforms of British cavalry made great impression on many onlookers and their horses were one of the best in Europe. Their sabers and firearms were well made, and the men were brave and good sworsdmen. The weakest point of British cavalry however were their tactics and discipline in real combat. "The heaviest English cavalry is far from possessing the uniformity and the firm seat of the French and Austrian cuirassiers; and their light-horse is still more inferior in intelligence and activity to the Hungarian hussar and the Cossack. They have no idea of the artifices of partisan warfare, and they know little how to charge en masse. When the fray commences, you see them equally vulnerable and offensive, cutting instead of thrusting, and chopping with more fury than effect at the faces of their enemies..." ( - French General Maximilien Foy)
Too true--discipline in battle was atrocious. Thus Napoléon's comment when an observer commented that the Scot's Greys being the finest cavalry in Europe
 
I guess its still there, but when i used to walk the Freedom Trail in Boston, one museum had a uniform of a Massachusetts Hussar regiment. I assume it was dated pre-Civil War time.

Regarding the Totenkoft insignia. . . one of the early Prussian hussar regiments wore the older hat in the shape of a tall shako with a material wrapped in a spiral. Their insignia was a reclining skelton.
The skull & crossbones was not isolated to Prussian/German units but were adopted by other countries. The British 17th Lancers(ie Charge if the Light Brigade) wore one on their lancer cap--chapska. I think the current consolidated regiment still uses it today. The Italian Fascists formed a unit that used it and one variation was a skull with a dagger clenched in its teeth.
Then you see variations in US air force patches worn from WW2 up thru Viet Nam.


The bomb group Jolly Rogers

tupa05.jpg


{Edited}
The British 17 Lancers have gone through two reorganizations that amalgamated the regiment into other lancer and cavalry regiment. It is now known as the Queen's Royal Lancers, but the cap badge remains pretty much unchanged since WW2 except it is made of Staybrite metal and not Brass.

MBEB57-2.jpg
 
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I just stumbled upon this WW2 patch with a Death Head.
This is an unofficial patch but it was seen worn on a uniform. Many independent units did not have an official DUI insignia and especially not a patch. Instead they wore the patch of the corps or army they were assigned to.

The unit was the 7103rd MTOUSA Disciplinary Training Company. This unit was stationed in Pisa, Italy, but also probably had other units with the 3rd Army in France/Germany. This company held American prisoners including those accused of treason.

7103 MTOUSA Disciplinary Training  Co.jpg


MTOUSA stands for Mediterranean Theater of Operations US Army.
 
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