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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: avm228 on Wednesday 24 May 06 10:50 BST (UK)
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My relative Ian G. F. Pierce, born 1898, was supposedly injured in the First World War (my great-aunt thought it was in France). However, I've now got his medal card and it shows that he was a lieutenant in the 9th Hodson's Horse; the only medal mentioned is (roll) India/68/2, (page) 45, (clasp) Kurdistan. No dates are given, though the National Archives lists it as a medal card created 1914-1920.
Can anybody help me with what this means - does it mean he was never on the Western Front, as I had been led to believe? What were Hodson's Horse doing in Kurdistan, and when? And why would a Bolivian-born young man of Anglo-American parentage have joined an Indian regiment?
thanks in advance :)
Anna
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Anna.
Hodson's horse wasn't an Indian unit,Iknow it was very effective in the Indian Mutiny.As such you can probably get the 'skinny' on a 'Google' site.
Wish you well.
Goggy. ;) ;D
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Thanks for your input, Goggy. I've done the Google thing (I always start there!) which told me that Hodson's Horse was a cavalry regiment of the British Indian Army. My relative had no (other) connection with India whatsoever. I'm hoping some wise person here might be able to enlighten me bit on (a) how he might have come to join Hodson's Horse and/or (b) what he would have been doing in Kurdistan and when.
Cheers
Anna
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Well,not at all wise I'm afraid,but trying(VERY!)
I know Indian Cavalry regt's;were involved in WW1,as for Kurdistan,it seem's that the Native's were sent abroad and European's served in their place,probably because of some sort of fear of another uprising as well as the enemy of the moment?
Goggy. ;) ;D
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The medal referred to with a Kurdistan clasp would I imagine be the GSM, as shown here.
http://www.medals.org.uk/united-kingdom/united-kingdom154.htm
Neil
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Hodson's Horse (9th Bengal Lancers) were certainly an Indian Regiment.
Ian Gilbert Fielding Pierce was commissioned in the Indian Army Reserve of Officers 30 January 1917. He was on the unattached list upto January 1918. He must have joined the 9th sometime after this. He was a Captain 30 Jan. 1921.
Not unusual for him to have joined an Indian Regiment. He was probably visiting/working in India at the time and joined IARO to"do his bit".
The Indian Army played a full part in the campaigns of WWI and WWII. They were not sent abroad for fear of revolt, they were sent because they were good soldiers and very loyal to their regiment and officers.
The Kurdistan clap was issued on the GSM for operations 22 May 1919 to 6 Dec. 1919 and 19 March to 18th June 1923. As his rank is Lieutenant on the medal then it must be for the first operation. These were against the Kurdish chief Sheik Mahmoud.
From all the evidence it is unlikely that Pierce served in France.
Steve
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Hi Anna !
Just as an aside - thought you may be interested in a picture of Hodson !!
http://www.geocities.com/hodson_of_hodsons_horse/hodsonphoto.jpg
Annie :)
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Neil,Old Bragg's,Annie.
All good stuff!My ref's are still in 1857,you folk's are a bit more advanced,also,just for interest,this Hodson bloke suffered from Migraine,so wore sunglasses to help him out,I'VE been there and it ain't comical!
Goggy. ;) ;D
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Wow - thank you so much, everyone; this is fantastic. This fellow was a gg-uncle of mine whom I met when I was a child - pity he's not around now to tell me all his stories. I'm thrilled to have chapter-and-verse of his time in the Indian Army, and even what his medal would have looked like. :)
Many thanks again to all of you who took the trouble to reply
Anna
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Anna, the medals illustrated were later issues. The Kurdistan issue of the GSM looks like this:
Steve
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Steve, many thanks for this and for all the excellent information you've provided. I'm most grateful! :)
Anna
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Ian Fielding Pierce is my Grandfather...I can tell you he was badly injured as a Captain ....he and his buddy were both on a motorcycle at night on railroad tracks and ran smack into one of those old timey things that you pump up and down on the tracks,he had to bow out and so he came back to the states and married my Grandmother Ellen....He was a very wonderful kind man.....Melinda Carr,Vero Beach,Florida......I just happened upon this site and punched in his name......Good Luck!
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Hi Anna, Ian G F Pierce appears on 13 July 1915 as a visitor in the "Alticry Book of Weights" which I'm currently analysing. The Wrights of Alticry had South American (Uruguay/Argentina) connections and might be a link to some of your research. Maybe they met on a ship crossing the Atlantic?
Ellen Moore Pierce visits with Ian Pierce in 1964.