1881 TUNISIAN ARMY

1881 Tunisian General Staff

Right - A pre-1881 Tunisian Army buckle. Likely for a senior officer. This type of oval buckle was used in the 1840s, as well through-out the Crimean War period.

Right - A pre-1881 Tunisian Army buckle. Likely for a soldier. This type of oval buckle was used in the 1840s, as well through-out the Crimean War period.

Below - A cast brass version of a Tunisian Army buckle likely used by an ordinary soldier (Private Collection).

1881 Tunisian Army Officer's Rank Insignia

Right - this large Fez badge, as well a smaller versions consisting of the oval shield only, were used as part of the rank system, as well as part of the system of awards from the 1840s, till the French annexation in 1881.

Right - Fez badge (Muhammad al-Sadiq 1859-1882).

1881 Tunisian Music Corps

1881 Tunisian Infantry

1881 Tunisian Army Flags

The Army Museum in Paris displays four flags taken from the Tunisian Army in Sfax in 1881. All of them are mainly made of three plain horizontal stripes. Their dimensions are (110-115 cm) x (175-187 cm), given an approximate proportion of 3:5. The hoist, of 255 cm height, is painted with white, grey, green and red spirals. The finial is made of a brass socket topped with a crescent pointing upwards. According to the Army Museum, the use of these flags is unknown.

However, they are identical to 1800s period Ottoman Janissary Corps ‘Orta’, and Sipahi cavalry regiment flags.

1881 Tunisian Spahis Guard Cavalry