Society for Army Historical Research

The Society for Army Historical Research publishes a Journal which includes articles on an irregular basis about both the EIC Armies and the British Army in India.

The Society states their "interests embrace both Army and Regimental history, military antiquities and pictures, uniforms, badges and medals, arms and equipment, customs and traditions and the history of land warfare in general. The study of campaigns, commanders and the political aspects of war is covered from the sixteenth century to the 1960s."

Journal

The Society states their "main activity is the publication of a quarterly Journal reflecting the members' interests and the results of their own research covering any aspect of the history and traditions of the British Army, including the Militia and Volunteer Forces, and armies levied by the Crown in earlier times, the history of land forces in the countries of the Commonwealth and former British Empire."

There are three volumes of indexes covering Volumes 1-40, 1921-1962; Volumes 41-68, 1963-1990; Volumes 69-84, 1991-2006. The contents of the volumes from 2007 is listed on the website and may be read here.

The British Library appears to hold most volumes of the Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research along with indexes.

Many of the articles may be read online for free on the website Jstor.org, subject to registration with Jstor.org, and restrictions apply. For more details about Jstor, and the restrictions, see the page Miscellaneous tips. Alternatively you may be able to log in with a Library card.

The following are examples of articles which have been of interest to researchers.

• Volume 53,1975, pages 27-47. A complete and detailed description of the uniforms of all ranks of the Madras Artillery in 1842. jstor.org
• Volume 54,1976. Thomas Erskine Dempster was Medical Officer in charge of the Regiment at the time of the 1824 mutiny by the 47th Native Infantry at Barrackpore, Bengal. In his account of the mutiny, he outlines the conditions and events leading up to the mutiny, provides an eye-witness account of the action, then describes the hangings and subsequent repeals that occurred later. He concludes with some personal observations and reasoning with regard to the circumstances of the revolt. jstor.org
• Volume 61.no 247, Autumn 1983 page 142, A biographical article titled Nathaniel Washington Bancroft, about a soldier in the EIC Army Bengal Horse Artillery, born early 1820's. He wrote the book From Recruit to Staff Sergeant, published 1885. Elsewhere, it is said Bancroft "gives particular emphasis on the Sikh wars that culminated in the three Sutlej battles, which he describes in gory detail. His account of the actions of the artillery in the Sikh battles match with accuracy to the official accounts, giving a reliable illustration of the tactics of that time. Bancroft gives a tactile description of the sights and sounds of the battlefield, as they were seen and heard from the men on the ground". A 1979 reprint of this book is available at the British Library. A recent reprint is available with a changed title. jstor.org
• Volume 61.no 247, Autumn 1983 page 160. An article about the European Volunteer Movement in India, later known as the Auxiliary Force, India.
• Volume 75, Spring 1997 An article about British graves at Probolinggo, Java. Officers of the 78th Highlanders were killed in May 1813 trying to enforce a new 'land distribution scheme' with which many of the locals did not agree.
• Volume 79, 2001 pages 119-130 "Europeans who sided with the Mutineers in India 1857-9: The Christian Bandsmen of the Native Infantry Regiments" by John Fraser
• Volume 79, 2001 No. 320 pages 295-312. A complete and detailed description of the uniforms of all ranks of the Bombay Artillery in 1844 in an article by P.E. Abbott
• Volume 80, Summer 2002 pages 110-127 "More Europeans Who Sided with the Mutineers in India" by John Fraser
• Volume 80, 2002, pages 326-334. A comparative survey of rates of military and civilian pay, 1860-1900.