The officer shown here is Subadar-Major Prem Singh, who was one of the King’s Indian Orderly officers sent to London in 1909. He has a red Sikh turban with a gold fringe. The regimental badge of the 32nd Sikh Pioneers shows prominently on the front. The tunic he wears is in an old-fashioned ‘zouave’ style introduced in the 1880s. It is scarlet with blue facings, including the wide front around the buttons. This is edged with white piping and gold lace together. The collar is edged with gold lace and has the pioneers’ crossed-axes badge on each side. The cuffs are in the slash-flap style still worn by the Brigade of Guards in Britain but which was discontinued in the infantry line regiments in 1868. The cuff and the flap are blue, edged in white, and the gilt buttons have gold lace button-holes.
He has a crimson sash of office around his waist. It is worth comparing this photo with the Bremner photo of c1897 which shows the subadar-major (perhaps the same man) wearing a different style of tunic, more up-to-date in pattern. In his case the crimson sash is worn on the left shoulder. It is probable that the dress uniforms for the King’s Indian Orderlies were made up by tailors in London while they were there.
