The 2nd Battalion KOSB formed part of the force under General Francis Grenfell in his campaign against the Mahdists under Osman Digna. Operations around Suakin came to a head on 20 Dec 1888 at the battle of Gemaizah. The cavalry consisted of the 20th Hussars, supported by mounted infantry made up of different infantry detachments. The KOSB supplied around 30 men commanded by at least one officer.
This illustration by Hiram Dunn is published in his book Borderers in Uniform from 1689 (2018). The officer wears an undress scarlet doublet and trews adapted for mounted wear. The doublet has a blue collar with regimental metal badges. The gauntlet-style cuffs are scarlet with gilt buttons and white button-hole loops. These buttons and loops are also on pocket flaps below the waist. The trews are in government tartan, a pattern worn until the turn of the century when the regiment was permitted to have Leslie tartan.
The officer’s belts are brown leather, including an ammunition bandolier for the Martini Henry carbine that he holds. He can carry 50 rounds of .45 calibre cartridges for the breech-loading carbine. He also has a Webley revolver in a holster at his waist. The waist-belt holds his sword, a Scottish Broadsword (Claymore) that in undress active service order has the basket hilt replaced by a hilt with a crossbar. It is sheathed in an unsuitable steel scabbard that was later replaced by a leather scabbard. He has a white canvas haversack on his left hip.
The photo of the Martini Henry Cavalry Carbine Mk1 (1878–1889) is also taken from Hiram Dunn’s book. The barrel length is 21.37 inches; this compares with the infantry version of the Martini Henry rifle which had a barrel length of 33 inches.
