Military Band British Era, 1900 Postcard
An old 1900 postcard of the British-era military band playing at a funeral. Possibly at the British Military Cantonment of Umballa, now Ambala. The Ambala Cantonment was set up in 1843. It was also the headquarters of a British cavalry brigade of the Northern army. For the uninitiated, military cantonments were a self-contained city in a city, with markets, shops, restaurants, bars, religious places of worship, etc.
A soldier or an officer did not have to bother going beyond cantonments seeking purchases or entertainment. Shown is a military band in a funeral procession playing at a likely deceased top-ranking officer. In the military, it was a sort of guard of honor that continues even today. Many Britishers faced death from tropical illnesses mostly caused by malaria. Click on the photo for better view.
Read more Ambala Cantonment.
Did you know- there were many British military cantonments spread out in India, from Ambala to Bangalore and Bombay to Calcutta.
From the collection- Government House Calcutta – Old Photo 1890., Dhondy Road Deolali – Old Postcard 1900., Antique Painting of Madras Fort St George.