Peter McArdle came to Australia in 1874 from India, after serving with the 72nd Highlanders. He joined the Highlanders in Liverpool, England in 1867, his mother, Bridget McArdle was living in The Rows at no. 8 Bridge Street Chester.

According to Peter's pay record the 72nd was in Manchester in November and December 1867 and in January 1868 they were in Dublin, Ireland. While in Armagh Peter was promoted to Corporal. The Regiment departed from Cork Ireland for India in February 1871. While stationed at Ambala in the Punjab in 1872 Peter was promoted to Sergeant, which was the rank he held at his discharge. The Regiment moved to Peshawar in 1874 and Peter travelled to Molong, Australia.

Refering to the man in uniform standing at left "This shows what appears to be a private soldier in a Scottish regiment 1873- c1895. The regiment has a dark colour collar which would indicate either the 42nd (Royal Highland Regiment, The Black Watch) or the 79th (Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders). Both wore blue facings whereas the other Scottish regiments wore yellow, white or buff facings."
Mrs S K Hopkins, Head of Dept of Uniform, Badges and Medals at the National Army Museum, Chelsea

A "Sergeant in an infantry regiment 1868-1873"
Mrs S K Hopkins, Head of Dept of Uniform, Badges and Medals at the National Army Museum, Chelsea

"Sergeant in a Scottish regiment. Again the collar and cuffs are darker than the body colour of the doublet which would indicate the 42nd or 79th. The 72nd had yellow facings. The rank chevrons are each of a single band of lace. Single lace chevrons were introduced under General Order No 3 1868. Before this order rank chevrons were made of a double band of lace. The crossed muskets surmounted br a crown on the lower right sleeve indicating that the wearer was the Sergeant of the best shooting company in the regiment, and the crossed muskets on the lower left sleeve indicating the best shot in each company, were authorized under Musketry Regulations of 1869.

Collar badges were introduced in 1873 and officially authorized 30 June 1874. Therefore this photograph would have been taken between 1869 and 1873. Of the Scotish regiments the 72nd was in Bengal 1872 and 1873 and the 93rd in Bengal in 1869."
Mrs S K Hopkins, Head of Dept of Uniform, Badges and Medals at the National Army Museum, Chelsea

Writen on the back is "Peter McArdle 18518 Molong NSW Australia 25/2/79." The subject is Peter McArdle and this carte de viste is from a larger metal plate photograph which has been hand painted. If the date is correct this photo was taken five years after Peter left the 72nd Highlanders for Australia in 1874.

To read a copy of a letter sent to Peter McArdle from Peshawar, India in February 1874.
Click on his photograph at left.

"The Uniform is certainly that of a fusilier regiment. The clue to the date lies in the design of the cuff which is not visible and the shoulder title which is not clear. The date would either be 1873-1877 or 1880-1894. The 1873 -1877 pattern tunic had scarlet shoulder straps with metal shoulder titles. The tunic worn 1877-1881 had similar shoulder straps and shoulder titles but the collar was scarlet with a patch of the facing colour on each front. In 1882 the lace was removed from the shoulder straps and replaced by piping. It is not clear from the [here] whether the shoulder strap eging is piping or lace or whether the part of the shoulder title below the grenade bears the regimental numeral: 23 or the letters: RWF. If the latter the uniform would be post 1881."
Mrs S K Hopkins, Head of Dept of Uniform, Badges and Medals at the National Army Museum, Chelsea

The text written on the back of this photograph reads "Mr Peter McArdle from his nephew Peter Icke 23rd Royal Welsh Fusiliers, Lucknow East Indies"

At this stage I have only been able to find out that the Royal Welsh Fusiliers were in Fermoy, Ireland in 1885. In scanning this photo for this web page I took a closer look at the lettering on the shoulder and believe it to be: WF not RWF