This group photo of officers of the 1st Bombay Cavalry was taken in 1878 at Poona (in 1880 the regiment was at Neemuch). The establishment of the regiment allowed for the following Indian officers:
1 Risaldar Major
2 Risaldars
1 Wordie Major
3 Ressaidars
6 Jemedars
The photo shows three orders of dress. Twelve of the officers are in parade dress, a British style tunic of cavalry grey (actually light blue) with five rows of silver cord, buttoned with olivets. They have Austrian knots on each cuff that are identical for all ranks of officer. There do not appear to be white facings as worn by the British officers. The pouch-belt is dark leather, probably dark brown, and has silver chains and pickers. The breeches for all the officers are dark blue with a double silver lace stripe. The boots vary in style, some covering the knee. Swords and sabretaches are suspended from a waist-belt worn under the tunic.
Standing at either side of the group are officers wearing ornate alkalaks which must be for full dress occasions. They are quite short and would have followed the style of the uniform worn by the rank and file. The cuffs are white with silver braid and lace decoration. The front is also decorated with silver lace and braid, and around the neck. The pouch-belt is silver-laced and has silver chains and pickers. Around their waists they have a red kummerband and a waist-belt of indistinct pattern, but having an ornate clasp. The belt supports a sword of different pattern to the three bar hilted swords of the other officers. There is also a sabretache which may or may not be a similar undress type as that worn by the others. The headdress is a lungi which looks different to the others.
The officers sitting at either end of the bench wear the same pattern of uniform as the British officers seen in a group photo taken around the same time. These two officers wear dark green kurtas with silver cord on the collar and cuffs. The pouch-belt is the pattern worn by the officers in parade order, and it seems that these two wear drill order. They also have red kummerbands and waist-belts with a rectangular brass clasp bearing a silver badge. The sword and sabretache are of similar pattern to those worn by the officers in parade order.
