Trooper's full dress pantaloons : Melbourne Cavalry Corps, Victorian Mounted Rifles

Dark blue melton wool pantaloons with high buttoned waist, right front welt pocket and double yellow 2cm wool stripes down sides. Reinforced at inner knee and calf area with extra layer of wool fabric stitched to outside. The leg opening, below yellow stripes, is lined with cotton twill. The hems are finished with cotton tapes that form ties at ankles. There is a metal button on each leg at the outside knee section. The waist lined with unbleached cotton twill. Stamped in ink at the back waist is 'M.C. 4/99'. Written in pencil or light ink close to this is 'Mill Cav. Apr 1899'. On the back of the cotton twill pocket lining is handwritten in pencil or ink, 'L H 326'. The buttoned fly has coated metal buttons impressed 'BEST RING EDGE'. The fly is lined with coated fabric; the fork with striped cotton twill.

The Melbourne Cavalry Corps was raised in 1901. As a volunteer corps, members provided their own uniforms, saddles and horses. Although also part of the Light Horse, when dressed in this uniform they took on ceremonial roles such as the Guard at the opening of Federal Parliament in Melbourne in 1901. Recruitment for this unit, particularly for officers was apparently slow. In 1901 Lieutenant A Rushall was the only appointed officer. The corps numbered only twenty until a fixed establishment of fifty was alloted in 1903. In 1903 the corps became part of No 6 Squadron 10th Light Horse Regiment. In 1912, all six squadrons of the 10th were united to become the 13th Light Horse, Victorian Mounted Rifles.