Author Topic: Second Anglo-Afghan War 1878-80  (Read 217502 times)

Offline Garen

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Re: Second Anglo-Afghan War 1878-80
« Reply #306 on: Wednesday 29 November 17 18:16 GMT (UK) »
Just to confirm that Charles was only in receipt of two medals - the Afghan War Medal (2 clasps) and the Kandahar Star. The India Medal ribbon was just a replacement ribbon - begged, borrowed or bought :-)

Seems he survived his hepatitis anyway!

All best -
Garen
Second Anglo-Afghan War 1878-80 - http://www.angloafghanwar.info
Family research - http://www.garenewing.co.uk/family/

Offline brotan

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Re: Second Anglo-Afghan War 1878-80
« Reply #307 on: Wednesday 29 November 17 18:27 GMT (UK) »
Hepatitis I know about as a paramedic (although a few different strains A, B C...), it has the potential to hit the liver pretty hard but some people get it and have no idea, in those days I wonder if a blood transfusion was the source? I can imagine parts of india back then being less than sterile environments.

Thanks again for the help. 

Offline Granpa GHB

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Re: Second Anglo-Afghan War 1878-80
« Reply #308 on: Wednesday 03 January 18 19:01 GMT (UK) »
Hi, I joined to contribute to the Afghan War database.  My ancestor, George Hastings Bittleston, served in the 2nd Afghan war.  He was in the Royal Artillery and served in Ali Mujid, Pilar Koshel, Charnidai, Habul & Shorpose, Ahmed Kiel and Kandahar (apologies for the spellings - I can't transcribe all the place names).  He was born in 1856, educated Charterhouse and served in Afghanistan 1878-1882.  He married in 1882 and was in India in 1884, Woolwich in 1891 and at Dover Castle in 1911.  He was in France in Royal Artillery in Sept 1915.  He died in Camberwell in 1927.

Offline Garen

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Re: Second Anglo-Afghan War 1878-80
« Reply #309 on: Wednesday 03 January 18 23:22 GMT (UK) »
Hello Granpa GHB - many thanks for your post.

I can help you out with those place names. In order: Ali Musjid, Peiwar Kotal, Charasia, Kabul and Sherpore, Ahmed Khel, and - as you have - Kandahar.

That's quite a list of actions! In fact, it's every clasp available. Looking at the medal roll I am not sure he was awarded all those clasps ... it does look like a tick in each column, but elsewhere, for others, 'yes' is written, and I think the 'yes' indicates an awarded clasp and the tick may actually be a badly styled dash (ie. no clasp).

I don't think anyone received both the Ahmed Khel clasp and the Kabul clasp - it's not impossible, but very unlikely.

It looks like Lt. G H Bittleston was attached to an un-recorded battery for the Afghan campaign - possibly the 4th Brigade, which could be one of five batteries (A, C, D, E or G). In Feb 1881 he moved from the 4th Brigade to serve as Aide-de-Camp to Brigadier-General Cobbe at Allahabad. Two months later he was A-d-C to Major-General Macpherson.

I will see if I can find out some more.

Thanks again - Garen.
Second Anglo-Afghan War 1878-80 - http://www.angloafghanwar.info
Family research - http://www.garenewing.co.uk/family/


Offline Granpa GHB

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Re: Second Anglo-Afghan War 1878-80
« Reply #310 on: Thursday 04 January 18 11:32 GMT (UK) »
Many thanks for that clarification.  It was very helpful.  Best wishes with your work, "Granpa GHB"

Offline pogo99

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Re: Second Anglo-Afghan War 1878-80
« Reply #311 on: Friday 18 May 18 16:44 BST (UK) »
Good Afternoon.First time poster,hope i have got this right.
I am researching my 2x Great Grandad.He was  Private (got to sergeant,but busted)) William Bickerton who served in the 72nd Highlanders from 28/Sep/1859-21/July/1879 service number 536.I have his service/medical records and also Chelsea pension records.I have checked the medal roll WO 100/52 for that regiment for that period and i can't seem to find him,am i looking in the right place as i would like to confirm if any clasps awarded.Thank You.

Offline Garen

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Re: Second Anglo-Afghan War 1878-80
« Reply #312 on: Friday 18 May 18 18:16 BST (UK) »
Hello there

I think it looks like he perhaps didn't serve in Afghanistan - his medical record contains the line "Brought before an Invaliding Board on the [16] December 1878 & recommended for Discharge", with the previous entry recorded at Sialkot in Nov 1877, noting the condition that lead to his being no longer fit for service.

Having said that, the proceedings of the Regimental Board held on 5th March 1879 to confirm his discharge seems to have been held at Habib Kila in Afghanistan with Captains Guinness, Frome and Gildea - all on service in Afghanistan - and on the following page is William's signature. Whether that was signed there and then or much later is not clear - there are definitely multiple pens at work on the page. Certainly by July 1879 he was at the Netley Hospital.

The 72nd marched from Sialkot to Kohat in Oct/Nov 1878 - William may have been left at Sialkot as an invalid, or he may have stayed at Kohat with the left wing of the regiment while the right wing marched on with Col. Brownlow. In Jan 1879 the left wing moved into the Khost Valley. In April the regiment was stationed at Ali Khel until the conflict broke out again with the second phase of the war (in September). The 72nd being at Habib Kila in March 1879 fits the general area, it was a British garrison camp and not far from Ali Khel, and things were relatively peaceful then, so perhaps time for some regimental admin ...

I agree he's not on the medal roll, and along with the medical record, I think it confirms he didn't serve in Afghanistan, and was either back at Sialkot, or non-effective in some way.

Best - Garen


Good Afternoon.First time poster,hope i have got this right.
I am researching my 2x Great Grandad.He was  Private (got to sergeant,but busted)) William Bickerton who served in the 72nd Highlanders from 28/Sep/1859-21/July/1879 service number 536.I have his service/medical records and also Chelsea pension records.I have checked the medal roll WO 100/52 for that regiment for that period and i can't seem to find him,am i looking in the right place as i would like to confirm if any clasps awarded.Thank You.
Second Anglo-Afghan War 1878-80 - http://www.angloafghanwar.info
Family research - http://www.garenewing.co.uk/family/

Offline pogo99

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Re: Second Anglo-Afghan War 1878-80
« Reply #313 on: Friday 18 May 18 20:14 BST (UK) »
Hello there

I think it looks like he perhaps didn't serve in Afghanistan - his medical record contains the line "Brought before an Invaliding Board on the [16] December 1878 & recommended for Discharge", with the previous entry recorded at Sialkot in Nov 1877, noting the condition that lead to his being no longer fit for service.

Having said that, the proceedings of the Regimental Board held on 5th March 1879 to confirm his discharge seems to have been held at Habib Kila in Afghanistan with Captains Guinness, Frome and Gildea - all on service in Afghanistan - and on the following page is William's signature. Whether that was signed there and then or much later is not clear - there are definitely multiple pens at work on the page. Certainly by July 1879 he was at the Netley Hospital.

The 72nd marched from Sialkot to Kohat in Oct/Nov 1878 - William may have been left at Sialkot as an invalid, or he may have stayed at Kohat with the left wing of the regiment while the right wing marched on with Col. Brownlow. In Jan 1879 the left wing moved into the Khost Valley. In April the regiment was stationed at Ali Khel until the conflict broke out again with the second phase of the war (in September). The 72nd being at Habib Kila in March 1879 fits the general area, it was a British garrison camp and not far from Ali Khel, and things were relatively peaceful then, so perhaps time for some regimental admin ...

I agree he's not on the medal roll, and along with the medical record, I think it confirms he didn't serve in Afghanistan, and was either back at Sialkot, or non-effective in some way.

Best - Garen


Good Afternoon.First time poster,hope i have got this right.
I am researching my 2x Great Grandad.He was  Private (got to sergeant,but busted)) William Bickerton who served in the 72nd Highlanders from 28/Sep/1859-21/July/1879 service number 536.I have his service/medical records and also Chelsea pension records.I have checked the medal roll WO 100/52 for that regiment for that period and i can't seem to find him,am i looking in the right place as i would like to confirm if any clasps awarded.Thank You.
Thank you for your quick response and that does make sense.

Offline StephenPaternoster

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Re: Second Anglo-Afghan War 1878-80
« Reply #314 on: Saturday 27 July 19 22:32 BST (UK) »
Hi

My name is Stephen Paternoster and my great great grandfather Henry King served in 70th (Surrey) Regiment of Foot and recently I found out within family he did kabul to Kandahar march but did 70th East Surrey do the march because on your website it says they did not do march but were present at Battle of Kandahar. I need to find his army record of when he was in 70th East Surrey Regiment but I'm not sure where to start or how to find his record I have his record from 1914 when he joined Territorial Force I'll send that in next message unfortunately he did have medals but they are now lost they went to his eldest son he never had kids and the medals are now lost forever.


Regards


Stephen