Officer’s shako and plume worn by staff member of the East India Company’s Recruit Training...

Officer’s shako and plume worn by staff member of the East India Company’s Recruit Training Depot at Warley, Essex, 1856 circa. Although the Bengal Army mainly consisted of locally-recruited Indian soldiers, there were also Europeans on its strength. British officers commanded all native infantry, cavalry and engineer units. There were also three European infantry regiments and two regiments of European horse artillery. The Company recruited these units in Britain and maintained training camps at Newport on the Isle of White, Warley in Essex and Chatham in Kent. An educational establishment was also set up at Addiscombe to prepare those destined for Indian service.