Changes

Jump to navigation Jump to search

British Army

702 bytes added, 05:42, 10 April 2014
Other: add/ change docs.google link
There is one reference to an Anglo Indian Boy Trumpeter in the [[Royal Artillery]] c 1936<ref> Pages 122-123, ''Pick up your Parrots and Monkeys: The Life of a Boy Soldier in India'' by William Pennington 2003</ref>
 
===Enlistment and birth in other overseas British Empire countries===
When researching, keep in mind that similar to the situation in India, it was also possible for men from other countries to enlist when regiments were stationed in their countries.<ref> Rootsweb Australia Message Board 3004 post [http://boards.ancestry.co.uk/localities.oceania.australia.general/4184/mb.ashx?pnt=1 Chelsea Pensioners - soldiers with an Australian connection] It includes details of two men who were born in Australia and served in the Madras Artillery</ref> Men whose fathers were in the British Army could be born anywhere in the world the British Army was stationed.
==Records==
An 1889 example of data from a Marriage Roll can be seen [http://web.archive.org/web/20040417222802/members.ozemail.com.au/~clday/married.htm here] on Cathy Day’s archived site.
 
This India List [http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/india/2009-04/1240765189 post] is about interpreting information on a casualty muster roll.
Muster roll records are unfortunately NOT available on [[LDS]] microfilms. If you are are unable to visit Kew, read the National Archives' guide
'''Please note that muster roll records may be missing for some Regiments and periods''', in India and generally. For example, there are virtually no muster roll records for the Royal Artillery in India.
Findmypast.co.uk has the online records [http://www.findmypast.co.uk/search/military/indexes/1861-army-index '''Worldwide Army Index 1861'''] extracted from the National Archives April-June quarter Paylists held in WO 10 (Royal Artillery), WO 11 (Royal Engineers) and WO 12 (Cavalry, Guards, Infantry and other units) series War Office records, including men serving overseas. Searching the records is free, but charges apply to view the records, although they can be viewed for free at TNA (and other institutions with a FMP subscription). Note that soldiers of the East India Company Armies in 1861 would not generally appear in these records as most of these soldiers appear to have been transferred to the British Army after June 1861, although some soldiers appear to have transferred earlier and are included in these records.
====Service and pension records====
Discharge papers ([http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/browse/C14305?v=r'''WO 97''', (to '''1913''')]), usually containing service/attestation information, and pension records ([http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/browse/C14231?v=r '''WO 22''']) may also be found at TNA. Records in WO 97 are usually only for men discharged with a pension (i.e. for long service or having been invalided <ref name=Skel > Victorian Wars Forum thread [http://www.victorianwars.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=5904#p23104 Pension?] quoting from ''The Victorian Army at Home ''by AR Skelley</ref>) as these were the papers sent to the Royal Hospital Chelsea and preserved, but from 1883, most causes of discharge, (apart from death (with a few exceptions)<ref>There are WO 97 records for a few men who died in the Anglo- Boer War (and papers in the Ancestry "WWI" series for men who died during the Anglo-Boer War) according to this [http://www.victorianwars.com/viewtopic.php?f=82&t=3511&start=15#p23904 Victorian Wars Forum post] dated 1 October 2011 by Meurig. This further Victorian Wars Forum [http://www.victorianwars.com/viewtopic.php?f=82&t=7112#p30127 post] dated 30 May 2012 by Mark A Reid also mentions a few other deaths. </ref>) were included. Note however, '''the survival rate of discharge papers appears to be low for men discharged overseas<ref>''My Ancestor was in the British Army'', page 63 by Michael Watts and Christopher Watts 2009</ref> [ie not in Britain, and therefore low for India]. If a man went on to serve during World War 1 then his records would normally have been removed from WO97 and placed with his WW1 service records<ref> ''My Ancestor was in the British Army'', page 64 by Michael Watts and Christopher Watts 2009 and [http://newsarch.rootsweb.com/th/read/DEVON/2010-03/1269096802 Chelsea Pensioners] dated 20 March 2010 from Rootsweb Devon List.</ref>. WO 97 records are also unlikely to include men who immediately went on active service with a Milita unit, (whose discharge papers may have been transferred to the Milita unit)<ref>India List [http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/INDIA/2011-06/1308580161 post] dated 20 June 2011</ref>'''. The records often contain a wealth of genealogical information, including birth date and location, next of kin, physical description, service locations, medical history and medals. They may include information about marriages, births of children or deaths of family members.
The National Archives has worked with findmypast.co.uk to scan and place online '''WO 97''' (Royal Hospital Chelsea: Soldiers' Service Documents 1760-1913). All WO 97 records, for the years '''1760 to 1913''' are currently available on findmypast.co.uk as part of a group of records called [http://www.findmypast.co.uk/search/army-service-records/all '''British Army Service Records 1760-1915'''] . This group of records consists of
*Militia service records 1806-1915 (WO96)
*Chelsea Pensioners British Army service records 1760-1913 (WO97)
Searching the records is free, but charges apply to view the records, although they can be viewed for free at TNA (and other institutions with a FMP subscription).
For some FindMyPast findmypast blogs about these records, see below<ref>FindMyPast blogs "Behind the scenes":
[http://blog.findmypast.co.uk/2010/09/behind-the-scenes-the-chelsea-pensioners-records-with-paul-nixon-content-licensing-manager/ The Chelsea Pensioners records with Paul Nixon, content licensing manager] 15 Sep 2010 and [http://blog.findmypast.co.uk/2010/10/behind-the-scenes-our-expert-stephen-rigden-on-spelling-variations/ Our expert, Stephen Rigden, on spelling variations] 29 Oct 2010</ref>
This [http://www.victorianwars.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=5904#p23104 link] <ref name=Skel /> has some general information about pensions, quoting from ''The Victorian Army at Home'' by AR Skelley
=====Kilmainham Pensioners=====
The records online at findmypast.co.uk now include those men discharged through the Kilmainham Hospital in Ireland, as [http://www.findmypast.co.uk/search/army-service-records/kilmainham '''British Army Pensioners - Kilmainham, Ireland 1783-1822''']. These records are held under TNA reference [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/browse/C14327?v=r WO 119], and are similar to the Chelsea Pensioner records WO 97, above. Searching the records is free, but charges apply to view the records, although they can be viewed for free at TNA (and other institutions with a FMP subscription).
There are other records for Kilmainham , not digitised, under [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/browse/C14326?v=r WO 118] “Registers of in- and out- pensioners of the Royal Hospital Kilmainham”. In-pensioners were admitted until 1922.
*[http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/browse/C14328?v=r '''WO 120'''] "From about 1812 dates of death have been noted and in the last series these dates extend to 1877" The WO 120 records are available on [[LDS]] microfilm with this [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=315468&disp=Regimental+registers+of+pensioners%2C+ar&columns=*,0,0 catalogue entry].
**The book ''British Army Pensioners Abroad, 1772-1899'' by Norman K. Crowder includes all British Army pensioners who retired to any place outside of Great Britain for which records are available (1772-1899). There are 8,934 entries, transcribed from [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/browse/C1923393?v=r WO 120/35] and [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/browse/C1923427?v=r WO 120/69-70]. Each entry has one line, in the form "51st Regiment of Foot; Josh ABBOTT; pension awarded 27 Sept 1842; residence - Hobart Town, Australia; died 22 Apr 1871. Source WO120 Volume 69 page 206". <ref>[http://home.vicnet.net.au/~grthom/cpindex.html Chelsea Pensioners - Out Pensions] by Grahame Thom</ref>
*[http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/browse/C14329?v=r '''WO 121'''] records. These records are available online on findmypast.co.uk as part of British Army Service Records 1760-1915, refer [[British Army#Chelsea Pensioners|above]]. The records include "Register of men discharged without pension", 1884 to 1887. Although the catalogue does not mention this, there are many records of men leaving the army in India under the heading "Nominal list of men discharged by the Commander-in-Chief in India." As the register provides name, regimental number, rank, corps, date and cause of discharge, attestation date (and a few other administration details) it is an invaluable resource for those not able to find these details elsewhere. Searching the records is free, but charges apply to view the records, although they can be viewed for free at TNA (and other institutions with a FMP subscription).
These records are included in the National Archives catalogue entry [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/browse/C537 Records of the Royal Chelsea and Kilmainham Hospitals]. The latter hospital was in Ireland. This category of records also includes
Online search [https://www.gov.uk/probate-search#before-you-start Find a soldier's will] Search for the will of a soldier who died while serving in the British armed forces between 1850 and 1986. UK Government Probate Service. Free to search, (but first you must register) and then pay for a record.
No further details are given, but previously this [http://researchlondon.info/probate/probate-calendars-to-be-online-soon link]<ref>[http://researchlondon.info/probate/probate-calendars-to-be-online-soon Probate Calendars to be Online Soon] from Geoff Swinfield’s researchlondon.info and [http://www.ffhs.org.uk/news/news120510.php News from FFHS]. </ref> advised that 300,000 wills of soldiers killed in action were to become available online. They do not include officers. These wills date from the Crimea period onwards, and appear to be wills completed by soldiers in their paybooks. It appears the majority are from WW1. The article [http://www.westernfrontassociation.com/great-war-people/research-family-story/3306-wills-of-english-soldiers-killed-in-the-great-war.html "Wills of English soldiers killed in the Great War"] by David Tattersfield 25 September 2013 (“The Western Front Association”) has more details.
The index to some soldiers’ wills are also available in the [http://search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=1904 England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1861-1941 from Ancestry.com]
==External links==
*[http://www.awin1.com/awclick.php?mid=2114&id=201071 findmypast]
===Encyclopedia articles===
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_British_Army History of the British Army] ''Wikipedia''
**[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/podcasts/sahib.htm Sahib, the British soldier in India, 1750 – 1914] by Professor Richard Holmes
*Recruiting regions of Irish infantry regiments in the British Army from 1881 until 1922. A list of regiments, depots, counties together with a map. Select page 5 of this [http://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nuigalway.ie%2Fgeography%2Fdocuments%2FHeritage-Chapter.pdf docs.google version] or [http://www.nuigalway.ie/geography/documents/Heritage-Chapter.pdf pdf]<ref>[[http://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nuigalway.ie%2Fgeography%2Fdocuments%2FHeritage-Chapter.pdf "A Lost Heritage: The Connaught Rangers and Multivocal Irishness"] (docs.google version) by John Morrissey, 2005 , Chapter 3 of ''Ireland’s Heritages: Critical Perspectives on Memory and Identity'' edited by M Mc Carthy 2005. Website: Geography Dept, National University of Ireland, Galway. [http://www.nuigalway.ie/geography/documents/Heritage-Chapter.pdf original pdf]</ref>
*"Information Document on the Irish Regiments of the British Army up to 31st July 1922". Irish Military Archives Dublin [httpshttp://docs.google.com/viewer?aurl=v&q=cache:gru7mwoB39wJhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.militaryarchives.ie%2Ffileadmin%2Fuser_upload%2Fdocuments%2FInformation_Document_on_Irish_Regiments_of_the_British_Army.pdf docs.google version], [http://www.militaryarchives.ie/fileadmin/user_upload/documents/Information_Document_on_the_Irish_Regiments_of_the_British_ArmyInformation_Document_on_Irish_Regiments_of_the_British_Army.pdf+East+India+Company+Army+Officer+transferred+to+original pdf]*"Irish Soldiers in the British+Army&hl=en&gl=au&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESgCmZns12hkE99NCTwYnZKxBIa4CjLHDnw00dDl1792-G1922: Suborned or Subordinate?" by Peter Karsten ''Journal of Social History Volume 17 No. 1 (Autumn 1983)'' pages 31-8dtP1fL8-uTOAW7hmuWptxLNBj6KyIKcTQks7CUK3bSgfr0dHI1OD9SJBPt_WF5uJfUQv6u4xXrgLdcVyfwHGhwNS1tiQ&sig64 [http://docs.google.com/viewer?url=AHIEtbQcITGpWlwjYSS1F9kR0LlOKkmu4A http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reenactor.ru%2FARH%2FPDF%2FKarsten.pdf docs.google version], [http://www.militaryarchivesreenactor.ieru/fileadminARH/user_upload/documentsPDF/Information_Document_on_the_Irish_Regiments_of_the_British_ArmyKarsten.pdf original pdf]
*[http://jameshenrymiller.petermillerphotoworld.co.uk/index.html James Henry Miller], born 1910. He was in India October 1932-1935 with the [[2nd Bombay (European) Fusiliers|2nd Battalion, Durham Light Infantry]]. His memories of daily life in a regiment performing garrison duties. [https://web.archive.org/web/20131114013901/http://jameshenrymiller.petermillerphotoworld.co.uk/16.html His Story, His Words Part Four] (scroll down), [https://web.archive.org/web/20131114014056/http://jameshenrymiller.petermillerphotoworld.co.uk/17.html Part Five], [https://web.archive.org/web/20131114014327/http://jameshenrymiller.petermillerphotoworld.co.uk/18.html Part Six] Includes photographs. Family website. (archived links)
*[http://www.davidhorsfield.org.uk/index.asp ''From Semaphore to Satellite The memoirs of Major General David Horsfield, Royal Signals''] may be read online. He served in Burma during World War 2 and was then in India 1942-1946.
*[http://www.archive.org/stream/catalogueofbooks00cockrich#page/n1/mode/2up ''A catalogue of books relating to the military history of India''] drawn up by Maurice J.D. Cockle 1901 Archive.org
*''In Search of the "Forlorn Hope" : a comprehensive guide to locating British regiments and their records (1640-WWI)'' by John M. Kitzmiller, II, Volumes 1 and 2, may be [[Online books#Family History Books| read online]] at a [[FamilySearch Centres|FamilySearch Centre]] on a Family History Library computer
*[http://digital.nls.uk/indiapapers/browse/pageturner.cfm?id=74905433&mode=transcription "List of Stations at which Military Family Hospitals are Authorized"] An Appendix from ''Regulations for the Medical Services of the Army of India 1930'' National Library of Scotland 'Medical History of British India' digital books.
== References ==
29,512
edits

Navigation menu