Although photographed in London I have placed this superb photo in the Caribbean section simply because this veteran colour sergeant is wearing the uniform of the West India Regiment. This regiment was quite picturesque and in many ways was more in keeping with French military uniform tradition than those usually associated with the British Army.

Pictured with his wife this sergeant wears the 1896 India General Service Medal with one clasp (showing the medal's reverse side in this photo). This indicates that he had transferred into the West India Regiment from another regiment sometime after that date since the West India Regiment never served in British India.

It is possible that this photograph was taken during Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee of 1897 or the Coronation of Edward VII in 1901 and that this sergeant was in London as a representative of his regiment during the celebration. All of the colour sergeants of the West India Regiment that I have found who took part in the 1901 Coronation were West
Indians of African descent and not European as this NCO obviously is. It is possible that he was home on furlough.

Cabinet Photograph
Wakefield - Photographer
1 High Street, Ealing, London, England.
c. 1897 - 1902