This group of men from the 3rd Battalion KRRC carry shovels and axes, tools of the trade for pioneers. Most of them have a glengarry cap which is of rifle green cloth with the blackened brass badge on the side. The officer, seated in the middle, and the sergeant both have pill-box forage caps. Pioneers wore a special badge on right upper arm of crossed axes with a stringed bugle above. For the KRRC the badge was of black embroidery on scarlet cloth. They mostly wear medals for their service in Egypt. The Officer and the two men on the right have three medals, one being for South Africa 1879. The two men also have two good conduct chevrons on their left sleeve. It is usual for pioneers to have beards, and in this case only the right hand man has a beard. He is named as being Robert Townsend.
