Officers and Mounted Trumpeter 1888

Reginald Wymer’s painting of three officers and a trumpeter is dated 1888 but the 17th served in India from 1880 to 1890. They would not have been dressed like this in India so the painting maybe depicts a scene at the depot in Hounslow. The interesting aspect of the picture is the mounted trumpeter at the back. His trumpet and bugle cords are in the royal colours of red, yellow and blue. This does not show up in contemporary photos so it is useful to confirm that the Duke of Cambridge, being a royal Prince, gave them this privilege. The manner of wearing the cords and tassels is also of interest. He has a red plume on his lance cap, a tradition for 17th Lancer musicians which we saw in the Hayes painting of 1838. This time he has a pouch-belt which was not worn in 1838 or the 1854 sketch by Ebsworth.

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