| Sergeant John Colly of the 43rd (Monmouthshire Light Infantry) Regiment of Foot. To date I have been unable to locate any records relating to Colly's military service or his life before or after. Colly wears rank chevrons on both sleeves as was customary in light infantry battalions. His tunic is of the 1868 pattern which interestingly has welts running diagonally across the chest from the top of the shoulder straps inward toward the waist line. He wears the crossed rifle badge for marksmanship his lower left cuff. Curiously he wears what appear to be additional stripes or chevrons above the cuffs of both sleeves. These resemble good conduct stripes, something that sergeants were not authorized to wear. Additionally, good conduct stripes were only worn above the right cuff at the time this photograph was taken, not on both cuffs. His Kilmarnock forage cap rests on the studio table next to his left arm. Carte de Visite J. F. Church - Photographer Curragh Camp, Kildare, Ireland c. 1869 |
