A relic of the Charge of the Heavy Brigade on a carte de visite

A highly unusual carte de visite, probably from the 1860s or 1870s showing the 6th Inniskilling Dragoon Guards helmet worn by the commanding officer when leading a  squadron of the regiment during the famous charge at Balaclava in 1854. It shows thre dramatic sword cut that the helmet took in defending its wearer. A most unusual subject for a cdv.The sepia toned photograph shows the helmet in an oval and has contemporary ms descrxiption at the button of the photograph, extentending on to the card itself. Partly in ink and partly in pencil his reads Helmet of General White with sabre cut got at the Charge of the Heavy Brigade. There is a small of the print lacking benaeath the word Crimea but not affecting the oval panel with the helmet. The back of the card has evidence of careless glueing. The card comes with parst of an old reference card with a cutting from the Cavalry Journal etc. The provenance is from a large archive of reference material which belonged to the much published author of work on cavalry mounted bands, the late R. G. Harris. jul18/3

General Sir Henry Dalrymple White, K.C.B. [1820-1886] was commssioned ino the regiment, purchsing a captaincy in 1844 and assuming command in May 1854. He was to served Colonel of the Regiment from1874 until his death.