Bombay Army: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 04:34, 31 October 2014

The Bombay Army was one of the three Presidency Armies of the East India Company. In 1859, following the Indian Mutiny, the armies were restructured when India was brought under the control of the British Government. The Bombay Army ceased to exist when the official Indian Army was formed in 1895.

A list of Bombay Army regiments can either be found in the Bombay Army Category or alphabetically, by type, in Bombay Army Regiments.

Divisions

FIBIS Resources

FIBIS database: Applications for Cadetships in EIC Armies 1789-1860 includes Bombay Army. These are records for officers
FIBIS database: Registers of Bombay Army European Soldiers 1793-1860. These are the full copies of the records taken from the British Library records,IOR/L/MIL/12/109-116, refer below
FIBIS database: Soldiers’ and Widows’ Pension details -1896 IOR/ L/MIL/14/214 & 215 Includes previous members of the Bengal, Madras and Bombay Armies, including men from the Unattached List. May also include a few members of the Indian Army which officially was formed in 1895. These records are available on LDS microfilm 2029979 Items 1-2 with catalogue entry, however the FIBIS database record contains all the information available in the microfilm
"Searching for Gopal Drooge and the Murder of Captain William Richardson" by Tim Willasey- Wilsey FIBIS Journal Number 31 (Spring 2014) pages 16-25. For access, see FIBIS Journals

Gopal Drooge is identified as the modern Kabbal Durga. The murders took place in September 1783 when thirteen officers from the Bombay Army, including Captain Richardson of the 3rd Bombay Sepoys and four officers from the British Army were killed on the orders of Tipu Sultan.

Records

Main article: East India Company Army

British Library

History of the Bombay Army by Sir Patrick Robert Cadell 1938
Records available in the British Library India Office holdings include:
- Bombay Army Records IOR/L/MIL/12 Discovery catalogue entry which includes links to subgroups.

Please note that the records Registers of Bombay Army European Soldiers IOR/L/MIL/12/109-116 1795-1862 commenced in 1831 and only contain men still serving in the Army at that date. These records have been transcribed by FIBIS, refer above. If a man left the Army prior to 1831 for any reason, including death, he will not appear in these records. The Muster records are an alternative source of information.

The LDS (Mormons) have filmed many of these records. Search the Microfilm catalogue by entering keywords such as Bombay Army. In particular, "Bombay Army European soldiers, 1795-1862" and "Bombay Army muster rolls and casualty returns, 1708-1865" are available. (Ordering microfilms).

At least some of the records in the series Miscellaneous Bombay Army officers' marriage notifications IOR/L/MIL/12/108 have been transcribed by the British Library and are available on India Office Family History Search

Military Department Library: Bombay Army IOR/L/MIL/17/4 1794-1913 includes
- Bombay Army List IOR/L/MIL/17/4/1-362 1823-1895
- Army Regimental Histories IOR/L/MIL/17/4/564-578 1877-1939. Discovery catalogue entry

Soldiers’ and Officers’ Wills IOR/L/AG/34/30 1825-1881 (varies according to Presidency and whether a soldier or an officer). These records are available on findmypast

Other sources

The National Army Museum holds a card index detailing officer's services. This index is unpublished and not available elsewhere. See the NAM article for details.

External links

Bombay Army in The Victorians at war, 1815-1914: an encyclopedia of British military history by Harold E. Raugh, 2004
Details of James Macmurdo (1785-1820), of the Bombay Army are included in "Fresh Light on the Peninsula of Gujarat in the Early Nineteenth Century" by Suresh C. Ghosh Journal of the American Oriental Society Volume 96, No 4, Oct-Dec 1976, pp570-575 (html link (may not be permanent)), or original pdf link, part of Roger Bilham's AB2007.
Distribution Return of Her Majesty's and the East India Company's Troops Serving under the Presidency of Bombay, 1 April 1857 The Nafziger Collection of Orders of Battle (page 171 of the Finding Aid)

Historical books on-line

Alphabetical List of Officers of the Indian Army 1760 to 1834 compiled by Dodwell and Miles, 1838, corrected to September 30, 1837 includes section relating to Service History of Officers of the Bombay Army 1760-1834 books.google.com. Note: Should you wish to scroll through the book, you may need to change from the "two page" icon to the "one page" icon (top left hand corner).
A List of all the stations in the Bombay Presidency, with details, page 235 Transactions of the Medical and Physical Society of Bombay, Volume VII, New Series 1861 Google Books
Lists of the officers of His Majesty's, and the Hon. Company's troops, serving under the presidency of Bombay. Adjutant General's Office. January 1st. 1798 Google Books
A compilation of all the ... orders ... 1750 to ... 1801 operating on the Discipline or Expenditure of the Bombay Army, by Edward Moor 1801 Google Books
A general code of the military regulations in force under the presidency of Bombay 1st January 1824 by Captain John William Aitchison 1824 Google Books
"Reminiscences of A Sindian Outpost" by Capt Hart, Bombay Native Infantry from Colburn's United Service Magazine Part 2 1843 Google Books
"Reminiscences of Upper Sinde. Convoys" by Capt Hart, Bombay Native Infantry from Colburn's United Service Magazine Part 3 1843 Google Books
The Presidential Armies of India by Colonel S Rivett-Carnac 1890 Archive.org has chapters on the Bombay Army
"Sir Henry Oakes". Appointed 1775, died 1827 Naval and Military Magazine Volume 2, page 590, 1827
Memoirs of the early life and service of a field officer on the retired list of the Indian army by Major David Price 1839 Google Books. Born in 1762, he was recruited into the East India Company Army in London in 1780 and was in the Bombay army until 1805. He died in 1835 and his obituary appears on page 529. Also see Scholars or antiquarians
Recollections of the Deccan, with Miscellaneous Sketches and Letters, by an Officer of Cavalry (Junius (pseudonym)) 1838 Google Books
Memories of a Long Life by Lieutenant-Colonel Sir David Davidson 1890 Archive.org. The author left for India in late 1827 for the Bombay Army, where he remained for 20 years
A Memoir of Major-General Sir Henry Creswicke Rawlinson by George Rawlinson 1898 Archive.org Born 1810, he joined the Bombay Army in 1827. In 1833 he was sent to Persia, the start of a long association with this country. He was recalled to India in 1839 and in 1840 was appointed Political Agent in Western Afghanistan and was involved in the 1st Afghan War until the end of 1842. In October 1843 he was appointed “British Political Agent in Turkish Arabia” 1844-1849 and 1851-1855. He there resumed an interest in Cuneiform Studies. Also see Iran
Oriental campaigns and European furloughs:the autobiography of a veteran of the Indian Mutiny by Colonel E. Maude 1908 Archive.org. The author joined the Bombay Army in 1844 and his last posting was Aden, from where he returned to England in 1866.

@@ Line 22: / Line 22: @@
 *''History of the Bombay Army'' by Sir Patrick Robert Cadell 1938
 *Records available in the [[British Library]] India Office holdings include:
-**[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/records.aspx?cat=059-iorlmil_7-2&cid=1-1#1-1 Bombay Army Records '''IOR/L/MIL/12'''] Access to Archives catalogue entry which includes links to subgroups.
+**[http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/browse/r/19b8f9d7-708b-4ca9-aa4e-f68a7e1739a0?src=5&sk=%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%2312 Bombay Army Records '''IOR/L/MIL/12'''] Discovery catalogue entry which includes links to subgroups.
-:Please note that the records [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/records.aspx?cat=059-iorlmil_7-2&cid=1-1-5#1-1-5 Registers of Bombay Army European Soldiers '''IOR/L/MIL/12/109-116'''] 1795-1862 commenced in 1831 and only contain men still serving in the Army at that date. These records have been transcribed by FIBIS, refer above. If a man left the Army prior to 1831 for any reason, including death, he will not appear in these records. The Muster records are an alternative source of information.
+:Please note that the records [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/browse/r/8d63b6cf-ba4e-4b36-a328-4b4256227bd2?src=6&sk=%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23143 Registers of Bombay Army European Soldiers '''IOR/L/MIL/12/109-116'''] 1795-1862 commenced in 1831 and only contain men still serving in the Army at that date. These records have been transcribed by FIBIS, refer above. If a man left the Army prior to 1831 for any reason, including death, he will not appear in these records. The Muster records are an alternative source of information.
 :The [[LDS]] (Mormons) have filmed many of these records. [https://familysearch.org/catalog/search Search the Microfilm catalogue] by entering keywords such as Bombay Army. In particular, "Bombay Army European soldiers, 1795-1862" and  "Bombay Army muster rolls and casualty returns, 1708-1865" are available. ([[FamilySearch Centres#Ordering microfilms|Ordering microfilms]]).
-:At least some of the records in the series [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/records.aspx?cat=059-iorlmil_7-2&cid=1-1-4-3#1-1-4-3  Miscellaneous Bombay Army officers' marriage notifications '''IOR/L/MIL/12/108'''] have been transcribed by the British Library and are available on [http://indiafamily.bl.uk/UI/Home.aspx India Office Family History Search]
+:At least some of the records in the series [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/rd/ffc1ce48-bc70-42ca-8ca2-44e3058d03cd Miscellaneous Bombay Army officers' marriage notifications '''IOR/L/MIL/12/108'''] have been transcribed by the British Library and are available on [http://indiafamily.bl.uk/UI/Home.aspx India Office Family History Search]
-:*[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/records.aspx?cat=059-iorlmil_8-2_2&cid=1-1-3#1-1-3 Military Department Library: Bombay Army  '''IOR/L/MIL/17/4'''] 1794-1913 includes
+:*[http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/browse/r/2058978e-ec7b-4203-abff-b583220917ef?src=6&sk=%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23178  Military Department Library: Bombay Army  '''IOR/L/MIL/17/4'''] 1794-1913 includes
-:**[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/records.aspx?cat=059-iorlmil_8-2_2&cid=1-1-3-1#1-1-3-1 Bombay Army List  '''IOR/L/MIL/17/4/1-362''']  1823-1895
+:**[http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/browse/r/882c3900-1fd7-4cee-bfcd-347418a27a78?src=7&sk=%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23462  Bombay Army List  '''IOR/L/MIL/17/4/1-362''']  1823-1895
-:**[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/records.aspx?cat=059-iorlmil_8-2_2&cid=1-1-3-11#1-1-3-11 Bombay Army Regimental Histories '''IOR/L/MIL/17/4/564-578'''] 1877-1939. Access to Archives catalogue entry
+:**[http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/browse/r/2c5244cb-40a1-4cba-9a30-5c4c5f352f35?src=7&sk=%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23%23472Bombay Army Regimental Histories '''IOR/L/MIL/17/4/564-578'''] 1877-1939. Discovery catalogue entry
-*[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/records.aspx?cat=059-iorlag_4&cid=1-64#1-64 Soldiers’ and Officers’ Wills '''IOR/L/AG/34/30'''] 1825-1881 (varies according to Presidency and whether a soldier or an officer)
+*Soldiers’ and Officers’ Wills '''IOR/L/AG/34/30''' 1825-1881 (varies according to Presidency and whether a soldier or an officer). These records are available on [[Findmypast|findmypast]]
 ===Other sources===