Indian officers of the 9th Bengal Cavalry, 1885

Photograph, 1st Sudan War, 1885.

The 9th Bengal Cavalry (also known as Hodson's Horse) were converted to lancers in 1885, the year in which they arrived at Suakin on the Red Sea coast of Sudan. Large numbers of Indian Army troops were shipped from India to Sudan to help defend the few remaining outposts left in Anglo-Egyptian hands after the fall of Khartoum, Kassala and Sennar to Mahdist forces in 1885.

From an album of 72 photograph taken by the Royal Engineers with the Suakin Field Force.