Photograph of Colour Sergeant William Gardner standing pointing a rifle to the right. He is wearing Scottish military uniform including a kilt, sporran and bearskin hat. There is a rucksack on his back.

Colour Sergeant William Gardner served with the 42nd (Royal Highland) Regiment of Foot during the Crimean War. Throughout the war Queen Victoria had taken an active interest in the welfare of the troops and on their return from the Crimea she met a number of the veterans at Buckingham Palace, Chatham Military Hospital and Aldershot Garrison. Following these meetings she commissioned a series of photographs of the veterans from the photographers Joseph Cundall and Robert Howlett.