Uniform & Equipment
Technically, there was no 'official' FANY uniform. The nature of their turnout seems to have been borne out of an unwritten understanding between the organisations' members, rather than any form of written directive. The original 1907 FANY uniform was a brightly coloured affair and comprised of a riding skirt in dark blue with two white bars running along the bottom above the hem. A scarlet 'Hussars style' Tunic with white trim and a peaked cap in blue and scarlet. Riding boots and spurs were also worn, along with a white first aid kitbag over the left shoulder.
By 1912, the FANY uniform had changed dramatically to a khaki uniform that was more in keeping with the uniform of the British army. A peaked service dress cap in Khaki cloth with a leather chin strap held in place by two blackened brass buttons of FANY pattern. A brass badge of FANY pattern was worn on the front. A Service dress tunic of Khaki wool with stand and fall collar was replaced with a tunic of khaki cloth with an open collar and lapels and fastened with four blackened brass buttons of FANY pattern, which was worn with khaki shirt and tie. A brown leather belt or 'Sam Brown' belt was worn over the tunic. Nether wear consisted of khaki riding culottes and riding boots and spurs. A khaki first aid satchel was carried over the left shoulder.
As the war progressed and the FANYs moved from horses to motorised ambulances, some further amendments were made to the uniform. The culottes were replaced by a khaki skirt. The spurs were discarded and the peaked cap gave way to a peakless khaki 'mob-cap' that was pleated over the crown and sported the FANY badge at the front. Photographic evidence shows that a number of different styles of overcoat were worn when driving or for bad weather, varying from long leather coats to large fur coats.
In 1916/17, some FANY were sporting blue gorgets. This was because these ladies had been made members of the Belgian army in an enterprising move to overcome a jurisdiction dispute with the Red cross.
The FANY rank system is itself peculiar as it is modelled in part on the Belgian army system.
By 1912, the FANY uniform had changed dramatically to a khaki uniform that was more in keeping with the uniform of the British army. A peaked service dress cap in Khaki cloth with a leather chin strap held in place by two blackened brass buttons of FANY pattern. A brass badge of FANY pattern was worn on the front. A Service dress tunic of Khaki wool with stand and fall collar was replaced with a tunic of khaki cloth with an open collar and lapels and fastened with four blackened brass buttons of FANY pattern, which was worn with khaki shirt and tie. A brown leather belt or 'Sam Brown' belt was worn over the tunic. Nether wear consisted of khaki riding culottes and riding boots and spurs. A khaki first aid satchel was carried over the left shoulder.
As the war progressed and the FANYs moved from horses to motorised ambulances, some further amendments were made to the uniform. The culottes were replaced by a khaki skirt. The spurs were discarded and the peaked cap gave way to a peakless khaki 'mob-cap' that was pleated over the crown and sported the FANY badge at the front. Photographic evidence shows that a number of different styles of overcoat were worn when driving or for bad weather, varying from long leather coats to large fur coats.
In 1916/17, some FANY were sporting blue gorgets. This was because these ladies had been made members of the Belgian army in an enterprising move to overcome a jurisdiction dispute with the Red cross.
The FANY rank system is itself peculiar as it is modelled in part on the Belgian army system.
