Probyn's Horse Lancer Project

Hi, I'm Ryan, a serving NCO of Asian descent in the British Army and I have always been fascinated with the splendours and regalia of the British Raj's armies.

Please help me secure the acquisition of a set of Probyn's Horse daffadar (sergeant) uniform. I want to honour the men that served the British Crown but are yet absent from official remembrance events.

I'm in talks with a capable tailor from Kanpur (Cawnpore), India who is experienced in making these uniforms, they are however beyond the means my wife deem reasonable for a 'costume that you're going to wear once a year'.

She's a most marvellous woman and I will not fight her over this issue. I still however won't let go of my duty to honour the memory of the indigenous soldiers of the British Raj.

This is your chance, friends, to enable this endeavour. To give me the opportunity to travel back in time to an era immortalised by the watercolours of Maj AC Lovett or the sketches of Hugo Pratt (my favourite graphic novelist). To give the men who wore this dress, and fought for the King, a chance to take their rightful place in the United Kingdom's history.

For that I will be grateful and will seize every opportunity to wear it at official events in order to raise funds for military charities.

Yours truly,

Ryan