Down to 1834 every British cavalry regiment had its own "squadron standard" - one to each of the squadrons comprising the regiment, - a survival from the old feudal days when each leader brought his separate band of followers to join the general muster of horse.  Squadron standards were, in 1834, done away with throughout the Service, except in the Household Cavalry, where the tradition of the historic distinction is still preserved.  Squadron-Corporal-Major, the senior grade of non-commissioned rank in each squadron is also a historic survival.  The Household Cavalry know no "Sergeants", maintaining instead the historic and older term "Corporal", for all non-commissioned grades.

In the peculiar uniform and equipment of the Farriers of the Life Guards - blue tunic, black plume and axe - we have preserved a unique and very interesting historic reminder of the old British Army of the days of Wolfe.  Every cavalry regiment in the Army - omitting of course the "Blues", the Royal Horse Guards - originally wore scarlet for all ranks, except the Farriers.  The Farriers were garbed invariably in sombre blue and bore axes, worn at the side, like the swords of their comrades.  When on parade, the troopers drew swords, the Farriers drew axes and carried them, as shown in the photograph, at the "Advance".  As nowadays (1896) in all our cavalry regiments except the Life Guards, the Farriers dress like their comrades in regimental uniform, our illustration has a special historic significance.

Corporal W. Elliott, of the 2nd Life Guards, whose portrait we give opposite, is a very promising non-commissioned officer; his rank being shown by the shoulder straps he wears and his aiguillettes, the badge of one holding a position about the person of a sovereign.

We are justly proud of our Life Guardsmen, for no corps d'elite elsewhere can show their like.  Twelve years' service men, splendid to behold in time of peace, they have proved terrible in fight as our enemies have learnt, at Dettingen, in the Peninsula, at Waterloo, and more recently at Kassassin and Tel-el-Kebir.

We have here a group of the non-commissioned officers of the 1st Life Guards, taken at Knightsbridge barracks within the last few days (1896).  They all bear the old historic title of "Corporal", with distinctive additions to mark the various grades : - "Corporal"; "Corporal of Horse" (equivalent to "Sergeant" in the cavalry of the line); "Troop Corporal-Major" (equivalent to Sergeant-Major elsewhere.  In the Life Guards enlistment is usually for twelve years' service, and it takes from two to three years in most cases for a man in possession of the necessary certificates to attain the first substantive step, that to Corporal.

Original magazine photo page published 1895 - 1902.  Price £25.   Or reproduction of photograph ready mounted. Price £25. Click here to order.  ORDER CODE 1V94

The stalwart corporal of the Household Cavalry, who forms the subject of our picture, belongs to the 2nd Life Guards.  It is not easy for the uninitiated to distinguish, except quite close, between the two regiments of Life Guards, so alike are they in their general turn out - white horsehair plumed helmet, scarlet tunic and blue facings. Yet there are certain points in the uniform of each regiment that makes the difference.  Of these the most notable are that the 1st Life Guards have a line of red cord down the centre of their pouch belts, and the 2nd, blue cord.  The 1st Life Guards in full dress wear a double red stripe on their blue trousers, and the 2nd, a single stripe, while the officers in full dress wear, when mounted, shabracques or saddle-cloths, pointed at the corners for the 1st Life Guards, and rounded for the 2nd.  On undress occasions the 1st wear black bearskin shabracques, and the 2nd, white lambskin.  These are points that may be readily remarked.

Of the tow swordsmen, the one who is shown reversing his point and presenting the handle of his foil to his adversary, after having delivered the thrust in salute, is Corporal-of-Horse Laycock, for the past four years Assistant Fencing Instructor to the 1st Life Guards.  He is a soldier of eleven years' service in the regiment and the winner of several prizes for swordsmanship at the Military Tournament.  The swordsman shown, after parrying the thrust in salute, is the Fencing Instructor of the 1st Life Guards, Corporal-Major Dickson, a Life Guardsman of nearly twenty years' service.  For fifteen years past he has been regimental Fencing Master, and a noted prize winner.

The Staff of Farriers in a cavalry regiment belong to a department of which the Regimental Veterinary Surgeon is the head, and the scope of their duties thus includes practically everything that has to do with the care of the horses in sickness, as well as with their efficiency and general fitness for service in regards to shoes and equipment.  In the photograph which forms the subject of our illustration, we have Farrier Wallace of 1st Life Guards, showing the skull of a horse, demonstrating the disease from which the animal died, in the presence of an officer of the same regiment, Lieutenant the Marquis of Hamilton.

Recently, on the Cavalry Drill Ground in Windsor Park, a new galloping gun carriage, invented by Colonel the Earl of Dundonald, commanding the 2nd Life Guards, was put to the test.  The carriage, which is built of steel, weighs only 400-lb, including the Maxim gun and ammunition.  It is thus some 600lb lighter than the Maxim carriage now in use.  The shafts are composed of hickory and steel, and can be easily and instantly detached.  The gun is, of course, unlimbered when wanted to come into action.  After firing it can at once be limbered up at any angle, and in a few seconds is ready to gallop away to another part of the field.  the ammunition is drawn from a rotary ammunition carrier capable of carrying 1,250 cartridges.  The wheels are composed of hickory and steel. The tyre is also of steel.  The liability to capsize when one wheel is higher than the other, as it might be on rough ground, is overcome in great measure by breaking the continuity between horse and carriage.  Owing to the weight being so much less than that of the Service carriage it can be drawn by one horse instead of two, and the harness is made in such a way as to be easily shifted on to any other horse in case of casualty.  The carriage can be moved by one man for a considerable distance with ease.  Two carriages were taken on to the field when the official trial was made, and these were accompanied by a troop of Life Guards.  The military authorities who witnessed the experiments regarded the result as eminently satisfactory.  The drill ground, however, is not sufficiently rough to put the carriages to a very searching test, but previous to the official trials the new invention had been roughly handled, without any apparent damage.  he inventor claims that if his idea be adopted a great saving of men will result.  Lord Dundonald points out that two guns can be worked by three men - one to serve each gun and the third to hold the horses.  The pattern now in use has several disadvantages, among them great weight, which necessarily affects its mobility and entails the employment of two horses.  The officer commanding the 2nd Life Guards has brought out other useful inventions, among them a light squadron cart, which was exhibited at Windsor when the gun carriages were tried.

Original magazine photo page published 1895 - 1902.  Price £25.   Or reproduction of photograph ready mounted. Price £25. Click here to order.  ORDER CODE 1V38

Squadron-Corporal-Major Rough-Rider Goodall, of the 2nd Life Guards, bears up very well, it is said, under his lengthy official designation.  He has turned out many splendid horsemen, has served eighteen years in his regiment, and wears the Egyptian Medal and Khedive's Star.

Print price £13  ($22).

Pack 586. Pack of two military prints of the Crimean War by Richard Caton Woodville.

Breakout by Randall Wilson.