40
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
m
{{#widget:Google PlusOne
|size=small
|count=true
}}
→FIBIS resources
The '''Unattached List''' recorded Warrant Officers ([[Conductors]] and Sub- Conductors) and Non-Commissioned Officers (mainly Sergeants) who were not attached to a regiment. This Note the more senior Warrant Officers could be promoted to Honorary Officer rank. The Unattached List mainly covered soldiers working for the [[Ordnance]], [[Commissariat]] and [[Public Works Department]]s. Before 1859 this list was known as the '''Town Major's List''' in Bengal/Bombay and [[Effective Supernumerary|Effective Supernumeraries]] in Madras.
G.O.G.G. of 24th November 1821, in respect of Bengal, issued the "Rules for the re-establishment of the Town Major’s List".<ref>[http://www.google.com/books?id=26sEAAAAQAAJ&pg=RA2-PA71 ''Calcutta Annual Register 1821''] Retrieved 28 Jul 2014.</ref> The staff it applied to included the Ordnance and Army Commissariats, and all Departments of Army or Garrison Staff, Public Offices, Military Agencies, Charitable Asylums, and the Stud and Ecclesiastical Department.
In respect of the later years (1900 onwards) "...the term 'Unattached List' refers to those British Army NCOs (Non-Commissioned Officers) who were seconded from their regiments to do duty with the Indian Army mainly in the following administrative departments: Royal Indian Army Service Corps, Indian Army Ordnance Corps, Military Engineer Services and Public Works Department, Indian Army Corps of Clerks, Remount Department, Military Farms Department. There were also a number of miscellaneous appointments on the Unattached List comprehended under the term 'India Miscellaneous List'
<ref>[http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/879040e1-3497-45d1-bdee-360a08fa084e#1-1-14 Special category of Departmental and Warrant Officers IOR/L/AG/21/14] discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk </ref> " or the alternative name 'Indian Miscellaneous List', or I.M.L.. There was also an earlier Bengal Miscellaneous List.
The Supply and Transport Corps (S&T) was retitled in 1923 and became the Indian Army Service Corps (IASC) and in 1935 the Royal Indian Army Service Corps (RIASC).<ref>Frogsmile. [https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/211891-what-rank-are-these-uniforms/?do=findComment&comment=2095638 "what rank are these uniforms, post 24"] ''Great War Forum'', 26 May 2014. Retrieved 6 October 2018.</ref>
Sergeant Instructors with [[Auxiliary Regiments|Volunteer or Auxiliary Regiments]] were also generally on the Unattached List for the period they were with the Volunteer Regiment. They usually returned to their original regiment, particularly if that regiment was leaving India.
It was possible to join the India Unattached List on a permanent basis, although this may have occurred after many years. For example, one British Army sergeant was '''attached''' to the India Unattached List for approximately 10 years, performing duties connected to military prisons. He left his Regiment after 20 years of service with the Regiment (including the attached period) and then '''permanently joined''' the India Unattached List, for a further 14 years of service, including promotion as a sub-conductor and conductor (warrant officer rank) until retirement. <ref name=MilPris> Wilde, Liz. [https://web.archive.org/web/20210301231726/https://groups.io/g/india-british-raj/message/519 re. recent posts on military employment after army service] ''<nowiki>india-british-raj@groups.io</nowiki>'' 27 February 2021. Retrieved 2 March 2021. The soldier was George Bagg, originally 7th Dragoon Guards.</ref>
==Sergeants’ Occupations==
(nb. For purposes of online searching it is to be noted that the word is more often spelled as "Serjeant")
The following list provides examples of the variety of occupations in which a sergeant could be employed. Many of these positions were of significant importance and standing and the chance to attain them was one of the attractions of joining the Company's army rather than the King's/Queen's army.<ref> Bailey, Peter. [https://web.archive.org/web/20200813062252/https://lists.rootsweb.com/hyperkitty/list/india.rootsweb.com/thread/12902184/ "Bazaar Sergeant"] ''Rootsweb India Mailing List'', 2 Apr 2000, archived.</ref> There may have been opportunities to obtain financial benefits in the form of commissions or kickbacks.<ref>Similar to the Quarter-Master of the [[22nd Regiment of Foot| 2nd Cheshires]] in the early 1880s [https://archive.org/details/undertenviceroys00woodiala/page/40/mode/2up Page 41] ''Under Ten Viceroys: the Reminiscences of a Gurkha'' by Major-General Nigel Woodyatt 1922 Archive. Retrieved 6 October 2018org.</ref>
*Arrack Godown Sergeant (arrack or arak, a coarse spirit distilled from grain, rice, sugar cane etc; godown, a warehouse)
*[[Barrack Sergeant]]
*Store Sergeant
Other duties*Duties of one soldier while on the Unattached List included the training in weaponry of the builders of one of the Indian railways in the hills (probably the Kalka-Simla), in order to defend themselves from attacks which were an ever present threat.<ref>Benham, Patrick. [https://listsweb.rootswebarchive.comorg/hyperkittyweb/list20210115212757/indiahttps://mlarchives.rootsweb.com/listindexes/emails?listname=india&thread/=1662871 "Unattached List"], ''Rootsweb India Mailing List'', 12 May 2010, archived.</ref>*Duties connected with Military Prisons**As a Sergeant: Permanent Warder Military Prison, Garrison Provost Sergeant, Asst. When reading this postChief Warder Military Prison, click about half way to expandChief Warder Military Prison. Retrieved 6 October 2018**As a Sub Conductor: Chief Warder, Military Prison and Superintendent, Detention Barracks.<ref name=MilPris/ref>
==FIBIS resources==
* Joan Harrison, "The Memoirs of John Norton of the Bombay Mint" ''FIBIS Journal'' Number 34 (Autumn 2015) pages 18-26. For details of how to access this article, see [[FIBIS Journals]].
:John Norton left England in November 1819 for Bombay, as an artilleryman in the Bombay Artillery. He was appointed to the Gun Carriage Manufactory and subsequently became a Sub Conductor of Ordnance. He was subsequently appointed to the Bombay Mint, where he was required to resign from the Army.
*FIBIS database: [http://searchfibis.fibisourarchives.org/frontisonline/bin/aps_browse_sources.php?mode=browse_document&id=6081&s_id=982 "The Memoirs of John Richard William Lee Skinner"] who was attached as a Sub-Conductor of the Indian Army Ordnance Corps to the [[South Persia Rifles]] 1916 - 1921*FIBIS database: [httphttps://www.searchfibis.fibisourarchives.org/frontisonline/bin/aps_browse_sources.php?mode=browse_components&id=1441309&s_id=16 429 Annual Returns, Sundry Unattached List- Madras] - only 3 names transcribed but provides an example of information included. From Madras Army Annual Returns and Casualty Rolls - Unattached List, held by the British Library IOR/L/MIL/11/192, 196 & 207.*FIBIS database: [http://searchfibis.fibisourarchives.org/frontisonline/bin/aps_browse_sources.php?mode=browse_components&id=679&s_id=137 Soldiers’ and Widows’ Pension details -1896] IOR/ L/MIL/14/214 & 215 Includes previous members of the [[Bengal Army|Bengal]], [[Madras Army|Madras]] and [[Bombay Army|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 [https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/show?uri=http%3A%2F%2Fcatalog-search-api%3A8080%2Fwww-catalogapi-webservice%2Fitem%2F774116 catalogue entry], however the FIBIS database record contains all the information available in the microfilm.
==Records==
[[India Office Records]] at the [[British Library]]<br>
In addition to the following, for earlier years not listed, the (general) Muster Rolls for each Presidency for the appropriate years may contain a Town Major’s List or equivalent.
<br> Search for the following records in the British Library's [https://searcharchives.bl.uk/primo_library/libweb/action/search.do Archives and Manuscripts catalogue].
*Bengal Army Muster Rolls and Casualty Returns: [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/rd/f5da9149-251c-4d36-a745-d57457fe165d IOR/L/MIL/10/177] 1856 includes Town Major's List
*Bengal Army Muster Rolls and Casualty Returns: [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/rd/cad56390-671d-4689-875c-5db533febf75 IOR/L/MIL/10/178] 1857 includes Town Major's List
*Bengal Army Muster Rolls and Casualty Returns: [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/rd/750869f0-3937-4645-9587-808ba8f0fb16 IOR/L/MIL/10/181] 1859 includes Unattached List
*Bengal Army Muster Rolls and Casualty Returns: [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/rd/c7c1dbe6-daf9-42d4-a365-d274a4d9d5fe IOR/L/MIL/10/183] 1860 includes Unattached List
*Bengal Army Annual Returns - Unattached List [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/browse/r/fbf7905c-525f-4193-ae38-1e975a1ad64b?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%23118 IOR/L/MIL/10/201-252] 1859-1907 *Bengal Army Monthly Casualty Returns - Unattached List [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/browse/r/3978a342-995f-4232-8b54-14a1584857be?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%23119 IOR/L/MIL/10/253-300] 1866-1907*Madras Army Annual Returns and Casualty Rolls - Unattached List [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/browse/r/0e4e1fa3-785e-4629-aed5-463e25a56032?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%23132 IOR/L/MIL/11/186-231] 1863-1907*Madras Army Quarterly and Monthly Returns and Casualty Rolls - Unattached List [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/browse/r/f1b247a7-f51b-4b98-b8c8-be7474eb5df9?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%23133 IOR/L/MIL/11/232-276] 1853-1907*Bombay Army Monthly Returns and Casualty Rolls - Unattached List [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/browse/r/ead0ea30-aa91-4210-8d11-08b9307cd370?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%23145 IOR/L/MIL/12/198-265] 1855-1907*Bombay Army Annual Returns - Unattached List [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/browse/r/ae9389f1-8778-44d3-9256-3436b27c571b?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%23146 IOR/L/MIL/12/266-280] 1893-1907
*Supply & Transport Corps: Register of services of British subordinates of the Supply & Transport Corps, 6th Poona Division, Bombay Army [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/rd/84cd8809-589e-4d34-be7b-53fdb9703726 IOR/L/MIL/12/289] 1872-1914
*India Unattached List Annual Returns [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/browse/r/dbf66ce1-0655-4c87-93b9-16782f0c8408?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%23416 IOR/L/MIL/14/144-175] 1908-1944*India Unattached List Annual Returns - Burma Division [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/browse/r/b88c9e1a-468b-41a2-941f-1084c4902197?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%23154 IOR/L/MIL/14/176-182] 1904-1910*India Unattached List Monthly Increase and Decrease Statements [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/browse/r/efd6016c-dc17-44e3-9904-c95c75fabfe6?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%23155 IOR/L/MIL/14/183-190] 1907-1914 *India Unattached List Monthly Increase and Decrease Statements - Burma Division [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/browse/r/0da1b00d-54c1-45e1-a9f9-b59ed7155dba?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%23156 IOR/L/MIL/14/191-194] 1904-1907
*Collection 46 Warrant and non-commissioned officers: position, pay, leave, promotion, discharge, etc. IOR/L/MIL/7/1877-2135 1867-1942 includes
**Collection 46/153 Time scale of promotion for the India Miscellaneous List. IOR/L/MIL/7/2039 1918-1923
*Special category of Departmental and Warrant Officers [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/browse/r/879040e1-3497-45d1-bdee-360a08fa084e?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%23152 IOR/L/AG/21/14] 1950-1956*Temporary British personnel (other ranks only) enlisted or re-enlisted in the Indian Army Supply & Transport Corps, 1914-1919 [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/rd/66671ed7-f7c8-444c-a675-ff8d3a692b2e IOR/L/MIL/15/37]. Includes name, rank, military number, British Unit and next of kin. Also available on LDS microfilm [https://familysearch.org/search/catalog/775057?availability=Family%20History%20Library 2030020]
Soldiers in the period to c 1860 (varies according to Presidency) should also appear in the Registers of European Soldiers, refer [[Bengal Army]], [[Madras Army]] and [[Bombay Army]].
==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20120306130033/http://www.britishmedals.us/kevin/profiles/kerr.html John Kerr - Unattached List - Sergeant in the Viceroy’s Band] The Asplin Military History Resources, now archived.*[https://web.archive.org/web/20200712011443/http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache%3AuHFPoU4aKQsJ%3Awww.britishmedals.us%2Fkevin%2Fprofiles%2Fsykes.html "Benjamin Sykes - Unattached List Bengal Army 1881"] The Asplin Military History Resources, now archived from a Google cache of a page.*[https://web.archive.org/web/20191102065646/http://www.britishmedals.us/files/bengalul1903.htm Partial Listing of the Bengal (Punjab) Unattached List for 01/01/1903] The Asplin Military History Resources, now archived.*On 16 November 1927 Sergeant Hammie Neill was posted as a Staff Sergeant Instructor to the 2nd Battalion, Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway Regiment, based at Ajmer Cantonment in Rajasthan, where he remained for six years. <ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20210806073023/https://www.nickmetcalfe.co.uk/my-family-at-war-part-2-hammie-neill/ "My Family at War – Part 2: Hammie Neill"] nickmetcalfe.co.uk.</ref>
===Historical books online===
*[http://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.b2994242?urlappend=%3Bseq=162 "The Bengal Commissariat Part 1"] page 144 ''The Calcutta Gazette, Volume 54 1872'' Hathi Trust Digital Library
== References ==
<references/>
