By Neil Patterson
Well there are Moors & there are Moors! First the "Regulares" these were the Moorish troops belonging to the Army of Africa. Generally, they wore a uniform of baggy breeches and tunic in a sandy colour that is often described as "lentil coloured", leggings/puttees around the lower leg were khaki, green-khaki or blue [dark]. Headgear was usually the white/off-white or khaki turban, the "rexa", but the red fez was also worn as was a "pasamonta" ski cap in winter. Webbing was brown leather, bags usually canvas. The different "Tabors" initially wore a distinctive coloured sash around their waists [red, blue, green or dark red], but this system broke down when extra Tabors were raised. In winter, various items of clothing in green-khaki were also issued, and a mix of items was worn. Also green Moroccan overcoats ["Chilaba"] and lentil overshirts ["Candora"] were sometimes worn. In summer the tunic was often left off, to expose the shirt which was a light sand colour. White boots were worn even in winter. Officers [almost all Spanish] wore the same coloured uniform with high brown boots. Headgear was a red-topped peaked cap, red fez or red-topped side cap [gorrillo]. Items of Moroccan origin were often worn, such as lentil candoras or dark blue Chilalbas. The MG troops were all Spanish. They wore the same uniforms as the Regulares, but wore the red fez only. The Regular Moorish Cavalry wore a similar uniform to above, but with all ranks wearing high brown riding boots. Officer ranks shown wearing turbans, fez or peaked cap. Officers shown wearing green tunic and sandy breeches or light sand tunic with lentil breeches. A light sky blue cloak also worn on occasion by officers also]. Carried rolled up on saddle when not in use. Horse blankets shown as brown-cream check, lentil and blue & orange border or blue with white border. There was also the "Mehal-la Jalifiana" who were the paramilitary police/militia of the Moroccan protectorate who also fought in Spain. These wore a uniform almost identical to above but in grey-green. Officers [Spanish] wore either peaked caps or side caps with a red body & green upper part. Lots of Native clothing worn, including a chilaba in a brown and white striped material. Turbans khaki. All above from Bueno, but the Osprey SCW title shows main uniforms [copied from Bueno]. Back to Abanderado Vol. 4 No. 3 Table of Contents Back to Abanderado List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1999 by Rolfe Hedges This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com |