Sunday 6 July 2008

Oxford Blues

As they had a pivotal role in the Sedgemoor campaign the anniversary of which falls today I thought it might be worth looking at this cavalry regiment in part of a series of pieces about bluecoats of the British army.
Founded in 1650 by Oliver Cromwell as the Regiment of Cuirassiers, the regiment became the Earl of Oxford's Regiment during the reign of King Charles II. As the regiment's uniform was blue in colour at the time, it was nicknamed "the Oxford Blues", from which was derived the nickname the "Blues."
The image is from the excellent Ironsides English Cavalry 1588-1688 by John Tincey and Graham Turner.

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