Lieut Alfred Gore-Steuart, 74th Highlanders with two other young officers

A small photograph, 3¾ x 2½ ins, similar to a cdv but mounted on old brown card. The officer on the right [also appearing in dec20/1 ] is Lieut Alfred William James Gore-Steuart of the 74th Foot [later 2nd Bn HLI] who can be identified from other cdvs which are named. In this photograph he wears a patrol jacket over his trews and holds a cap and riding switch. His colleague of the 71st Highlanders [later the 1st bn HLI] in the centre wears full dress uniform and interestingly holds his sword in a very prominent position, This is the cross hilt variation introduced much earlier in the  71st and 74th than in the other Scottish regiments [see Robson: Swords of the British Army for a detailed discussion of this largely unpopular introduction]. The plain style of the 71st pommel was also adopted after 1881 by the 74th, which had  previously worn a more individual style. This photograph is probably taken at the time when the 74th was stationed in Gibraltar attached to the 42nd in about 1869. The 71st was also stationed there at the same time/      dec20/2