'53rd Sikhs Polo Team Jullundur 1909'

Photograph, India, 1909.

The 53rd Sikhs polo team is named as (left to right): Macartney 'No 1'; Milward 'No 3' (riding 'Grey Tick'); Bruce 'No 2' and Rainsford-Hannay 'Back' (riding 'Dollar').

'Milward' is Captain (later Major General) Clement Arthur Millward (1877-1951); 'Bruce' is Lieutenant (later Major) George Eyre Bruce; 'Macartney' is probably Lieutenant (later Colonel) Frank Alan George Macartney (Military Cross).

The 3rd Regiment of Infantry The Frontier Brigade was raised in the winter of 1846/1847. It was quickly redesignated the 3rd Regiment of Sikh Local Infantry, and became part of the Punjab Irregular Force (the Piffers) in 1851. In 1857 the unit became the 3rd Regiment of Sikh Infantry. The regiment fought in the 2nd Afghan War (1878-1880) and in the Tirah expedition (1897-1898). The regiment was renamed the 53rd Sikhs (Frontier Force) in 1903 as part of Lord Kitchener's reforms of the Indian Army.

From an album of 44 photographs compiled by officers of 3rd Royal Battalion (Sikhs), 12th Frontier Regiment, redesignated the 53rd Sikhs (Frontier Force), 1909-1922.