China 1885 garrison duty related photograph album page depicting the East Kent Regiment - The Buffs, one side being a large gelatine silver print photograph of the entire 2nd Battalion, as taken at Hong Kong in April 1885, detailing 24 officers and 876 rank and file, the officers being lined up in the foreground, and all officers with their surnames annotated. The other side of the album page has another large gelatine silver print photograph, this taken at the same time and showing the Sergeant’s Mess of the 2nd Battalion when also at Hong Kong. A number of men are clearly shown wearing the South Africa Medal 1877-1889 with clasp, they having seen service during the Zulu War.
Condition: images clean, page showing signs of age and tarnishing, generally Good Condition.
From left to right the officers surnames read: Hamilton; Howarth; Jarrett; D’Aeth; Backhouse; Pattenson; Blackburn; Vyvyan; Gordon; Lewis; Parry; Vickerman; Duaglish; Harrison; Vertue; Jackson; Somerset; Buttansshaw; Mitford; Gage; Ravenhill; and Graves.
Identified officers include:
Major Julius Batt Backhouse, later a battalion commander and then a Lieutenant General, he was a veteran of the Zulu War in South Africa, having been present in the actions at Inyezane and Gigindhlova. He went on to command the 2nd Battalion during the Boer War of 1899 to 1902.
Captain Douglas Abercromby Hamilton.
Captain Edgar Evelyn Ravenhill.
Captain Courtenay Bourchier Vyvyan, a veteran of the Zulu War in South Africa, having been present in the action at Inyezane and the investment of Ekowe.
Lieutenant Albert Vickerman.
Lieutenant Allan Molyneux Berkeley Gage.
