Six non-commissioned officers of the 18th Lancers pose on the dock at Southampton having arrived for the Coronation of King Edward VII. The badges of rank on their sleeves are evident, worn on the right upper arm, mostly, while the inverted chevrons on the left forearm show that good-conduct stripes were retained by dafadars. It is difficult to see whether they have two or three rank stripes but three is more likely. Other photos show that dafadars in service dress also had good conduct stripes on the left arm. The custom in the British army was that good conduct and long service stripes were removed from the left arm once a corporal was promoted to sergeant.
The centre figure with stripes on both forearms is a Kote Dafadar. The four chevrons on his right sleeve being for his rank, with a crown above, and the stripes on his left arm being for good conduct. The men are unarmed and do not wear spurs. The blue kummerbands around their waists are not embroidered and have no fringed ends hanging like those worn by officers in dress uniform. They wear khaki breeches and blue puttees with lace-up ankle boots.
