83rd/88th foot

[butlersearch]

Hi

I have my relative Thomas Butler serving in both regiments just curious to know why this would be.

The date he was attested to 83rd was 1856.

Many thanks

[km1971]

Men often changed regiments to balance the numbers etc.

When did he transfer? One other reason that may apply here is that the establishments of regiments serving overseas were larger than the 'home' establishment. The 83rd came home from India in 1862 so a number of men would have transferred to other regiments who were staying in India, or who had recently arrived. The 88th Foot stayed in India until 1870 for example.

Ken

[butlersearch]

Hi

Thank you for the reply I have re-read the photocopies I have but they are poor quality.

It seems to say he attested to the 83rd in Liverpool as private  157 and served just over 9 years, but it also states that he served 2 years in 88th as private 4102 so would this be included in the 9 years or was this prior to 1856 . He was discharged in Richmond Barracks in 1865 , and he marries in Weedon in 1865 so I am assuming some service must have been there.

He served over 4 years in East Indies for which he received the the Indian mutiny medal and clasp.

So I think my main question is would there be another attestation for the 88th prior   to 1856.

Here's hoping you can help me.

Many thanks

[km1971]

One of the questions on the front of the attestation form was if he had any previous military experience. Is it here that mentions the 88rd Foot? If so then he may have served twice. But you need to supply dates, ages etc, to see if it fits. Normally his second set of papers would mention the first period as the time would be added together to produce  the pensionable service.

His first period of service would not have produced a pension, so they would not have kept his record. I do not have access to Ancestry at present so I cannot inspect the Mutiny medal rolls.

Ken

[butlersearch]

Thank  you for the reply, the papers I have copies of were completed in 1892 some considerable time after his service ended, for a retrospective pension he did not know he was entitled to,so I do not think I have full attestation papers.

On one page of the questionnaire he is asked about his service he states he has 2 years service with

88th foot , so I think this was his first regiment followed by 83rd foot.

Would the full attestation papers be available to me anywhere.

[hanes teulu]

Re the 1892 document, are the sections that refer to regiment "88" and time served "2 years" heavily overwritten in black compared with the rest of the answers?

[km1971]

... the papers I have copies of were completed in 1892 some considerable time after his service ended, for a retrospective pension he did not know he was entitled to

Some men were awarded a deferred pension at the age of 50. He may have not realised this and applied a few years late.

Search deferred pension hansard for some background, including - http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1886/mar/11/army-deferred-pensions-case-of-james

Ken

[butlersearch]

Thanks for replies on the form the 88th and 2 years and his reg no 4102 are all bolder is this significant ?

Regards deferred pension why did soldiers have to wait so long ?

Regards

[km1971]

Deferred pension was an different kind of pension for men discharged without a full (and immediate) pension rights. I have not read the act that introduced them.

Ken