Jager Corps

Page under construction

Alternative spelling Jaeger Corps

Also known as the British German Legion, the British German Legion Volunteers, the German Legion, the German Legion Volunteers Battalion and the German Volunteer Battalion

Contingents of troops of the British German Legion arrived in Bombay from South Africa in 1858. They had their origins in the German Legion raised by the British to serve in the Crimea. These men were stated to be "in a great part not Germans, but men collected from continental seaport towns".

For further details , see the external links below.

In 1860 the following appeared in Allen’s Indian Mail in January 1860, page 56

"Dec. 13 [1859].—Adverting to G. O. No. 1, (dated Sept. 12 last, the C. in C. has been pleased to direct the following arrangements with respect to the late Jager corps:—

The volunteers to the 3rd Eur. regt. as below will be formed into 6 companies with such present organisation as Maj. gen. Sir H. Rose, com. Poona div. of the army, may be pleased to arrange, pending the final embodiment of this detach, with the hd. qrs. of their corps:—

5 staff sergeants, 31 sergeants, 28 corporals, 15 buglers, and 481 privates.

[12 officers and an Assistant Surgeon were also named]

...

The volunteers for the Bombay art. as below will join the hd. qrs. of the horse brigade:—

1 sergeant, 1 corporal, 1 bugler, and 22 privates.

...

The non-commissioned officers, buglers, and privates noted as below, having elected to return to the Cape of Good Hope, will be formed into a separate detachment, and held prepared to embark for their destination under future orders:—

14 sergeants, 11 corporals, 1 bugler, and 346 privates.

[There were also six officers named as not required]

External links

• "A Leaf On A Turbulent River:Ensign Simner and the British German Legion, 1855-9" by Emrys Wynn Jones Military History Journal (The South African Military History Society)

"Part 3 of 3: 'When I was in Poona!' The German Volunteer Battalion in India" Vol 13 No 4 December 2005

(Earlier parts:"Part 1: 'By Her Majesty's Command' - Ensign Simner's Commission" Vol 13 No 2 December 2004, "Part 2: 'A New Life' - Military Settlers in Kaffraria" Vol 13 No 3 June 2005)

• "Sir George Grey and the 1857 Indian Rebellion: the unmaking and making of an imperial career" by Jill Bender Boston College. html version, pdf A paper presented at Mutiny at the Margins New Perspectives on the Indian Uprising of 1857, Conference at the University of Edinburgh, George Square, Edinburgh, July 23rd-26th 2007.