Cookhouse of the 8th Hussars 1855

The photographer Roger Fenton took this picture of NCOs at the camp cookhouse near Sevastopol. Sergeant-Major Clarke stands on the left, in undress uniform. The next figure is a sergeant with three gold chevrons on his right arm. Behind him is a standing corporal wearing a pelisse with two gold chevrons. The yellow worsted braid looks dark in this early photo, as do the yellow cloth stripes on their trousers. His busby is 9 inches tall and has a scarlet bag that hangs in an untidy way. Another sergeant-major sits directly in front of the woman. Like Clarke, he has regimental badges over his four gold lace chevrons, a harp and Royal crest.
Next is a senior NCO with a pelisse that has gold braid on the back. His gold banded cap is brighter than the yellow banded cap on the lower ranked man directly behind him who has his jacket open. There is a half hidden man next to him wearing a busby with another unruly scarlet bag. Seated behind a large bin is yet another sergeant-major in contemplative mode. His undress stable jacket shows us the back of the cuff which has two buttons and braid that makes the cuff look turned back. The figure on the right is either a corporal or private with a yellow braided dress jacket and a strangely shaped hat.

Regimental details | Crimean War