TOPIC:

These two photographs of officers and men of an unidentified unit were taken in Pietermaritzburg by William Laws Caney.

A few details are worth noting. The Martini Enfield rifles and bandoliers appear to be brand new (the former are awaiting their slings, and the latter have clearly never been loaded with cartridges). On the left, in the officers image, a bandolier and haversack lie on a bench unissued. The choice of Mauser-type bandoliers seems a little strange.
The most senior officers appear to be two lieutenants, the remainder being second-lieutenants, which suggests a very small unit. The medal ribbons worn by a few of the officers seem to indicate not insignificant previous service.

My guess is that these men could be members of the Pietermaritzburg Town Guard, some, perhaps, with previous experience in the Pietermaritzburg Volunteer Rifle Corps / Pietermaritzburg Rifles (Frontier Wars).

The badge on the officer's sidecap in the second image is difficult to make out: GS? 68?

Any thoughts?






















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