Second Anglo-Afghan War 1878-80

[neil1821]

Hi I am new to this, I had been going through some stuff in my loft and came across a medal from the second Afganistan war, not no idea which side of the family it comes from, As far back as I am aware of (about 100 years)  both sides of the family are from the Oxfordhire area i was hoping you may be able to help me.
As i have read the posts i have learnt somethings, like Chester the medal has no ribbon and has been made into a brouch. but the medal can be twisted out of the rope like edging to see details around the edge of the medal, i think part of the name is missing where the brouch was made if i give you the information, i have would you be able to help.

2142 PTE W EEJ LEY  2/9th FOOT

Thanks Tracey

Tracey,
The number is the key to figuring out who he was.
A quick scan of the medal roll for the 2/9th (East Norfolk) Regt, we find
2142 Pte W Bewley (or possibly Beesley?), B-company. It's a wee bit difficult to read on the roll too, but the company are listed alphabetically so the "Be..." is certainly correct.
Hope that helps

[neil1821]

Since I was a child I have owned a leather bound Koran. Written on the inside cover it says "Taken for one of the huts Fort Tele Musfied (hard to read) - Isaac Webster 1878.

It seems that this must be the Sargent Isaac Webster that has the intruder in his tent. Do you know the place that he is refering to?

The most obvious answer is Fort Ali Masjid (or Musjid)
http://www.britishbattles.com/second-afghan-war/ali-masjid.htm
There were about 5 British regiments plus artillery at the battle of Ali Masjid, so if you'd like me to look for Isaac Webster on the rolls I will do.

[trace1969]

Thanks for your help, i had no idea were to start, but i have now started to trace my family tree so see what other information i can find out. i will let you know if i find out anymore.
thanks again

Tracey

[66daffyduck]

Thanks for this. I took another look at the Koran and I am sure you must be right. The second word is definitely Musjid and it is dated 22nd Nov - so the day after the battle.

Sergeant Webster served with the 51st so I think that is the answer

Thanks very much

[Ravelin]

Hello

I would like to know if the following chap received an Afghan War Medal.

He was private William Richard Joseph 10B/1045, 2nd Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment.

His surname was sometimes wrongly spelt as Josephs.

Thank you in advance.

Ravelin

[66daffyduck]

Does anybody know if Isaac Webster survived the attack in his tent mentioned in The Bugle on 1st Feb 1979 (discussed near the start of this forum)

[yogib]

hi garen,

my gggf was involed in the boer war with the 42nd bty RFA but was in India before that im wondering if you have any information on the 42nd RFA/RA/RGA? in india.

thanx

[toedwar]

Hello Garen, I'm hoping you can help me with a search that so far has turned up nothing.  My gg-uncle served in the second afghan war but I've drawn a blank on finding him anywhere.   His name was Arthur Rowland Thomas O'Regan although he seemed to go by Roland O'Regan, born 1856 in Donington Woods, Shropshire.  What I know is that he served in Afghanistan and participated in a march under severe conditions where the men were limited to 1 cup of water a day.  I thought this was the Kabul-Kandahar march but none of the units fit with his subsequent service.  On leaving India his unit shipped out on the HMS Jumna and when they arrived at Aden in Feb. 1884 were sent to Suakin in the Sudan to be part of Graham's relief of Tokar.   I have a letter he wrote to his sisters in England dated Feb. 21st (presumably 1884) saying that they were headed to relieve Tokar in the Sudan with the 60th Rifles and the 2nd Brigade Royal Irish Fusiliers, so I presume he was not part of those units.

My first problem is to find his regiment and looking at the units in Afghanistan and the Sudan, I suspect it could be the 10th Hussars.   Do you have a record of what units shipped on the HMS Jumna from Afghanistan (or India?) to return to England in Jan/Feb 1884?   The other mystery is that he refers to getting "another medal" in his letter which suggests he received a medal in Afghanistan but his name doesn't appear on the medal rolls (at least not that I've been able to find).    I would greatly appreciate any help in finding him in the records or suggestions of where best to look fo rhim.    Tom

[liverpool annie]

Hi Tom !

I came across your post ... don't know if you've already seen this book ... but thought it maybe of interest ! 

Two years later there was trouble in the Sudan where the fanatical forces of the Mahdi were attacking the Egyptian garrisons. A series of disasters culminated in the assassination of General Gordon at Khartoum. Twenty-five of the B.I.'s ships were eventually employed in transporting troops to the Red Sea port of Suakim, and they included the first of a very famous name in trooping, the Nevasa. The P & 0 had been called on at the start of the trouble to make emergency arrangements for the movement of troops from Cairo to Suakim. Two eastbound ships were held at Port Said, workmen were rushed on board, and as they sailed through the Suez Canal their accommodation was modified to receive 1,600 soldiers who were being sent by rail from Cairo to Suez.

The 10th Hussars were the first British troops to disembark at Suakim. On 6th February 1884 the regiment embarked at Bombay on board the troopship Jumna, commanded by Captain Uvedale Singleton, R.N. The 'Tenth' at any rate liked the Jumna, for it is recorded that there was considerable enthusiasm in the regiment at finding itself embarking in the same ship which had brought it out to India eleven years before.

M-I Battery, Royal Artillery, was also embarked at Bombay, and then the Jumna sailed down the coast to Vingorla to take on board the 2nd Battalion The Royal Irish Fusiliers. The ship then left for Aden. Approaching Aden she was intercepted by the despatch vessel Amberwitch and directed to call at the port for orders. The ship entered the harbour and the troops learned that they were to take on board camp equipment and to disembark at Suakim, a prospect of active service which was received with delight.

Owing to quarantine regulations no one was allowed ashore or on board the ship. The troops, therefore, had to do all the loading and coaling. The coaling was done exclusively by the 10th Hussars, and it may well have been the only occasion in history when a troopship has been coaled by soldier passengers.

Since the troops had been embarked for England all ranks were accompanied by their families, and the wives spent the few days between Aden and Suakim in making useful articles for the campaign. On 18th February the Jumna arrived at Suakim, and the following day the 10th Hussars disembarked. On 20th M-I Battery landed, but The Royal Irish Fusiliers remained for the time being on board the Jumna.

The 'Tenth', having been equipped with horses from the Egyptian Gendarmerie, now re-embarked on board the small transports Zag-a-Zig and Hodeida which were to carry them four hours steaming south of Suakim to the harbour of Trinkitat. There they were to join an expedition for the relief of the garrison of Tokar, some twenty miles inland.

In the meantime The Royal Irish Fusiliers had disembarked at Suakim, and had been joined by the 1st Battalion The York and Lancaster Regiment.

The force advancing from Trinkitat encountered the enemy in a position on the rising ground overlooking the wells of El Teb. The subsequent action, in which the enemy suffered a crushing defeat, could be seen by the married families from the deck of the Jumna. This must have been a harrowing experience for the wives of the 10th Hussars, though Admiral Sir William Hewitt, who visited the Regiment after the battle, sent a signal from his flagship to the Jumna giving the names of all those whom he had seen uninjured.

On the return of the 'Tenth' to Trinkitat, the officers gave a dinner to the General and staff, and to the Captain and officers of the Jumna, who were invited over from Suakim for the occasion. The ship, which the 'Tenth' regarded as their home during these operations, kindly supplied tables, chairs, tableware and even the cook for the occasion.

The day after the battle of El Teb the families had been transferred to the Serapis and departed for England; no doubt to the relief of their menfolk, for wives and warfare are not a satisfactory mixture.

Exactly a month after the Serapis had sailed the operations came to an end, and the 10th Hussars, M-I Battery, The York and Lancasters and The Royal Irish Fusiliers, embarked once more on the Jumna.

There was a pleasant sequel to the voyage, for at the first regimental dinner after their return the Commanding Officer of the 10th Hussars presented to the officers' mess a picture of H.M.S. Jumna, as a memento of all they owed to the ship and its company.

Some of the Union and Castle ships were chartered as transports for the campaign, and of these the 3,000-ton Arab of 1879 became headquarters ship at Suakim; a function which was to become common enough in the Second World War, but which was unusual in these early days.

Extract from the book - Troopships and their History by Col H C B Rogers OBE