Army/Equine meeting photo for identification

[PaddyInWales]

Here's a poser for you: can you identify this event, from the soldiers, their insignia, or other people present? There appear to be some British top-brass, some civilians, some wives, some politicians, maybe an American with a bow tie/plus fours? And I'm sure Lord Lucan is in there!!! No inscription on reverse.

From a small collection of photos mounted by an ASC Captain in charge of transporting horses in the Boer and then Gallipoli in WW1. He was also based in Malta for some time as his wife had 2 children there.

Thanks in anticipation of your help

Paddy

[jim1]

This looks just post WW1 & possibly into the early 20's.There are medal ribbons on display with one officer with a medal so maybe a medal ceremony.
jim

[macintosh]

The man on the front row second from the right as you look at it looks like Rudyard Kipling


James

[PaddyInWales]

Thanks James, and thanks Jim: you could both be right! This is Rudyard Kipling in the 1920s:

Paddy

[scrimnet]

At least x2 senior officers in the front...generals....

What we could do with is a higher resolution scan pse...might be able to confirm ID on the brass

dont think its a medal pde....more likely a sports event...

[PaddyInWales]

Thanks for the suggestion of a sports event, it caused me to have a eureka moment at 4am: another photo in the album is of our ASC Captain on horseback leaping over a hedge/brook, showjumping style. It's titled "Near Eastbourne, around 1920" (the album was compiled by his son after he died.
I reckon the sports event you suggest may well be equine: Rudyard Kipling (if it be he) was very keen on and wrote about horse sports and lived close by at Burwash.

We think we may have another identification: Lt-Col John Henry Patterson, seated front far left (image below) - he and our Captain worked with the Zion Mule Corps in Gallipoli.

There is another, sharper (and wider: 4 more people) scan on its way to me, will put it here when it arrives.

Paddy

[PaddyInWales]

Here's a turnout for the books: the National Army Museum say "The dignitary seated left of centre is Arthur, Duke of Connaught." Who happens to be Queen Victoria's youngest son. And seated next to him looks like Princess Mary, aunt to our present Queen.

I've updated the original picture with something a bit more hi-res: below is the dignitary and for comparison his public image.

This looks more and more like an early meeting of the Royal Horse Show, which started 1907 but went to several venues after WW1. Anyone know where?

[chinakay]

What a fascinating photo...just bookmarking.

That couldn't be Queen Mary in the front row with the dark hat, could it??

[PaddyInWales]

Good point: it looks remarkably like her! But surely real royalty wouldn't just perch on chairs on the grass, or maybe they would if there were horses involved! I'll put a piccy of Queen and Princess on this reply, so others can compare.

Got to work out who the other top brass is now, with the prominent walking stick. And what about that American with the fashionable plus-fours and bow tie. Bit early for Bob Hope...

Paddy