A sepoy of the Allied occupation force in Iran, 1941 (c)

Photograph, World War Two, Middle East, 1941 (c).

The sepoy wears the head dress of an inhabitant of the North West Frontier. It consists of a 'kullah' a type of dome shaped skull-cap, accompanied by a 'lungi', a long and narrow piece of cotton cloth that is carefully wrapped around the 'kullah'. One end of the 'lungi' makes the 'shamla', which is like the crest of a peacock, and the other end forms the tail, which hangs loosely at the back or side. The 8th and 10th Indian Infantry Divisions, 2nd Indian Armoured Brigade and 21st Indian Infantry Brigade took part in the invasion and subsequent occupation of Iran in 1941.

One of 41 official photographs associated with Persia and Iraq Force (PAI Force), 1940-1943.