Carte de Visite
John Cooper - Photograhper
No. 440 Clarence Road
London, Ontario, Canada
c. 1876

 

 

His tunic was scarlet with gold braid and his trousers early dark blue dismounted pattern with double white stripes on the outside seams. His pillbox-style forage cap would have been replaced in the field by a white foreign service style helmet.

It is interesting to note just how small the Snider-Enfield carbine appears to be. Also of note is the protective leather rear sight protector visible on the carbine.

Given the relatively small size of the Force (as the NWMP became colloquially known) I suspect that this officer will eventually be identified. Given the carte's early date it seems quite
likely that he may have been an original member of the Force when it was first raised in 1873.