This photograph shows two Sergeants in walking out dress of the 2
nd Battalion of the 14th (Buckinghamshire) Regiment of
Foot. [1]
The photograph has no markings and was taken by an unidentified photographer.
The 2nd Battalion of the 14th went to India in 1878
so this photograph was probably taken in India about 1878 to 1881. These sergeants are wearing 1868 pattern serge frocks. The early pattern
of this frock, as you see here, was scarlet for NCO's, edged with distinctive
white braid, with a five-button front and rounded skirts. Each sergeant
is wearing a Sergeants' Sash with gold lace chevron badges on the upper
right sleeve. Both sergeants have white gloves and the seated sergeant is
also has a walking out stick.
The frock collars and shoulder straps are faced in buff. When collar badges
were adopted in June of 1873, the 14th Foot was unique in that
it was the only regiment to have a separate collar badge for each of it's
battalions. The 1st Battalion had a white horse on hind legs
on a down curved bar in white metal and the 2nd Battalion had
a Royal Bengal Tiger in brass. The Royal Bengal Tiger is clearly seen on
the collar of the seated sergeant.
The trousers are dark blue with a narrow red welt down the outside seam
which is just visible on the thigh of the seated sergeant.
The glengarry worn in this photograph has a version of badge that has
a Royal Tiger at the bottom. The regiment had two versions of their badge
one without the tiger and one with. It maybe that the badge with the Royal
Tiger was only meant to be worn by the 2nd Battalion.