Changes

The names contained in the following list are in systematic rather than strictly alphabetical order. A consistent system was required in order to avoid an inevitable arbitrariness in placement which would have resulted from strict adherence to the alphabet. This may sound more contradictory than it is. When confronted with, say, eighteen individuals known only as "J. Smith," the alphabet alone is inadequate to assure anything beyond arbitrary grouping. Military rank could not be relied upon, quite apart from the fact that several of our "J. Smiths" might have held the same rank. Much variation has been observed in this area, according to sources consulted. While many authors, in writing of the Second Afghan War, assign participants ranks they held at the conclusion of hostilities, or even later, after the general promotions customary at the conclusion of wars, for the sake of consistency I have tried to assign to each person the rank held at the time of service during the war (including promotions and demotions), as set forth either in the Medal Rolls, or in the Annual Army List for the pertinent years, ignoring local ranks and brevets unless held at the time of service in the war (not briefly for some war-related event or period; these are separately noted). Many officers will, therefore, appear to have lower ranks than they are commonly accorded while among the other ranks subsequent demotions and promotions are not reflected here, unless they occurred during the period of the war and are noted in the contemporary records.