Another Seaforth Highlanders Query?

[Daffodilly]

Yes Mack, he could well be another couldn't he. 

I have John born Bemuda 1849 and this George born Bermuda 1851 (assuming he is the same family) so it could be either of those.  It is amazing you finding all these pieces of the jigsaw for me.  They will be James's brothers as he was born in 1843. John is the one I have on the 1861 census in Forfar aged 12 so it is more likely to be him and George has disappeared.

I have checked James' marriage record today and the father (James) of all these boys was in the 42nd too but had died before 1866 so not sure where.

Thank you again!

[Garen]

I'm a bit late to this thread, only checking in every few days or weeks... but I know the name James Alexander Bunch of 78th Highlanders as he is on my Afghan War database. However, I got all my information on him from his obituary in The Scotsman (and the medal roll), which it sounds like that's what you already have. If not, I'll gladly send it on.

His service number in the 78th was 443 (not sure if that's been mentioned). I don't see his name on the Egypt medal roll for the 78th.

[Daffodilly]

Garen, thank you ever so much for your reply,  I have been away for a few days so have only just seen it. 

Yes I too started with James's obituary, it was all I had to begin researching his 'tree'.  I am really interested to see which paper it was in, is it available online or did you get it from a paper copy?  The photocopy I have is a bit tatty and has lost the last part.  It would be fascinating to see a better photo of him.  As he was bandmaster would there be photos of him say in the Regimantal museum?

Both his father and one son were also called James Alexander and I know his father and at least one brother were in the 42nd, which he also was in the early part of his career.  Would he have been in the 42nd when he was in Egypt?

Thank you for his service number which I didn't have but will be most useful as I try to find out more about his career in the army.  I have become fascinated with it recently and want to read more about what life was like for him.  Would his service number be the same in both the 42nd and 78th or would it have changed?

Thanks for your help.  D.

[Garen]

Hello Daffodilly... I am attaching the obituary which I obtained when I had an account at The Scotsman archives.

http://archive.scotsman.com/

Do you have a photo of him? If you are willing, it would be great to add his portrait to his entry in the Afghan War database. I'm sure there's a good chance he'd appear on a photo somewhere at the regimental museum (the Seaforth is at Fort George near Inverness, and the 42nd Black Watch is in Perth) - not mention his wee post of State Trumpeter! For Egypt he would have been in the 2nd Battalion Seaforth Rgt. (though I don't think the full battalion were present) as it was in 1882, but he is not on the roll.

Also, it is possible he carried his service number from the 42nd to the 78th, but is also quite likely he received a new number when he transferred, so no definitive answer there, I'm afraid.

Very best -
Garen.

[liverpool annie]

Oh wow Garen!

Gave me goosebumps !! - Daffy is going to be thrilled !! - mentions of his family too - THAT is so cool!!

Annie 

[Daffodilly]

Wow, Garen thank you!!

I have a different obituary but with some content and wording the same, but yours has a lot more information in it about the battles he was involved in in India.  And the information about his brothers, it's brilliant!   

I have no photos of him except the one in the photocopy of the obit that I have which is a very poor photocopy done years ago when they weren't nearly as good as now.  So I wonder which newspaper I have or whether it was a later edition of the Scotsman.  It was published on the same day as yours.  I will get my daughter to show me how to insert a scan of my copy if it is readable enough.  The photo is very poor but you can make out a double row of medals.  It is by Drummond Shiels, Edinburgh.

On your obit it says in his capacity as State Trumpeter he attended all the great functions in Scotland for 35 years so there must be an odd photo of him somewhere, but I don't know where to look.

I have two of the brothers (Francis and Adam) who served in the same regiment but have not yet found the third.  Before I started this (about a month ago) I knew nothing about the Seaforth Highlanders, now I can't get enough!  The whole thing is so fascinating!

Thanks ever so much for your help.  Daff

[Garen]

That's great - I just presumed you had The Scotsman obituary... I'd have posted it earlier otherwise. I'm really glad it gave some extra detail too - what a career he had. I do have some obituaries of other Afghan war veterans in multiple newspapers and they quite often have much the same wording, so I guess they use the same source, perhaps from family or a friend. Sometimes, if it's an officer, you can tell the info's just culled from the Army List.

If you are able to post the photo, or email it, that would be wonderful and a great addition to the database, even if the quality is poor.

The 78th Highlanders (2nd Battalion Seaforth after 1881) didn't have a huge role to play in the Second Afghan War. They moved up to Quetta in August 1880 under orders from General Phayre (a very arduous march), and over 100 men were invalided sick while there. By this time the last war of the campaign had been fought by General Roberts at Kandahar, and in November the 78th moved up the line to Kandahar themselves for garrison duty, which they performed until April 1881 when the British evacuated for good.

P.S - a bit early for your chap, but this amusing piece is from 'The Confessions of Harry Lorrequer' by Charles James Lever (1806-1872)

"The old state trumpeter at the castle, another object of my youthful veneration, poor 'old God save the King' as we used to call him, walked the streets as of old; his cheeks indeed, a little more lanky and tendinous; but then there had been many viceregal changes, and the 'one sole melody his heart delighted in' had been more frequently called in requisition, as he marched in solemn state with the other antique gentlemen in tabards."

http://www.fullbooks.com/The-Confessions-of-Harry-Lorrequer-Complete3.html

[brigcs]

 

Dear Daff,

You are having loads of luck! Well done.

Brigcs

[M.T.H]

What a great thread!!!

And what an interesting life your ancestor had Daff!

Just the tonic I need as I'm recovering from a very nasty bout of flu... 

I've found a couple of snippets in the Times.

Friday April 20th 1888

The Queen has been pleased, by Warrant under Her Majesty's Royal Sign Manual, to appoint Mr. James.A.Bunch to be one of Her Majesty's Trumpeters in Scotland, in the room of Mr.Richard John Adams, desceased.

Friday May 9th 1924

Mr JAMES ALEXANDER BUNCH, of Polwarth-gardens, Edinburgh,an Indian Mutiny veteran,senior State Trumpeter for Scotland for over 30 years,and for 25 years Bandmaster of the Queen's Edinburgh Rifles ,who died on December 21st ,aged 79, has left personal estate in Great Britain valued for probate at £2,476.



Mick