Author Topic: Hodson's Horse - Kurdistan  (Read 3729 times)

Offline avm228

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Hodson's Horse - Kurdistan
« on: Wednesday 24 May 06 10:50 BST (UK) »
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
Ayr: Barnes, Wylie
Caithness: MacGregor
Essex: Eldred (Pebmarsh)
Gloucs: Timbrell (Winchcomb)
Hants: Stares (Wickham)
Lincs: Maw, Jackson (Epworth, Belton)
London: Pierce
Suffolk: Markham (Framlingham)
Surrey: Gosling (Richmond)
Wilts: Matthews, Tarrant (Calne, Preshute)
Worcs: Milward (Redditch)
Yorks: Beaumont, Crook, Moore, Styring (Huddersfield); Middleton (Church Fenton); Exley, Gelder (High Hoyland); Barnes, Birchinall (Sheffield); Kenyon, Wood (Cumberworth/Denby Dale)

Offline goggy

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Re: Hodson's Horse - Kurdistan
« Reply #1 on: Wednesday 24 May 06 11:17 BST (UK) »
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

Offline avm228

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Re: Hodson's Horse - Kurdistan
« Reply #2 on: Wednesday 24 May 06 11:43 BST (UK) »
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
Ayr: Barnes, Wylie
Caithness: MacGregor
Essex: Eldred (Pebmarsh)
Gloucs: Timbrell (Winchcomb)
Hants: Stares (Wickham)
Lincs: Maw, Jackson (Epworth, Belton)
London: Pierce
Suffolk: Markham (Framlingham)
Surrey: Gosling (Richmond)
Wilts: Matthews, Tarrant (Calne, Preshute)
Worcs: Milward (Redditch)
Yorks: Beaumont, Crook, Moore, Styring (Huddersfield); Middleton (Church Fenton); Exley, Gelder (High Hoyland); Barnes, Birchinall (Sheffield); Kenyon, Wood (Cumberworth/Denby Dale)

Offline goggy

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Re: Hodson's Horse - Kurdistan
« Reply #3 on: Wednesday 24 May 06 12:37 BST (UK) »
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


Offline neil1821

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Re: Hodson's Horse - Kurdistan
« Reply #4 on: Wednesday 24 May 06 12:58 BST (UK) »
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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Offline OldBraggs

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Re: Hodson's Horse - Kurdistan
« Reply #5 on: Wednesday 24 May 06 18:27 BST (UK) »
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
Cheltenham. The Gloucestershire Regiment.
Military History. Medal collector.

Offline liverpool annie

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Re: Hodson's Horse - Kurdistan
« Reply #6 on: Wednesday 24 May 06 23:19 BST (UK) »


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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Offline goggy

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Re: Hodson's Horse - Kurdistan
« Reply #7 on: Thursday 25 May 06 03:27 BST (UK) »
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

Offline avm228

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Re: Hodson's Horse - Kurdistan
« Reply #8 on: Thursday 25 May 06 16:32 BST (UK) »
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
Ayr: Barnes, Wylie
Caithness: MacGregor
Essex: Eldred (Pebmarsh)
Gloucs: Timbrell (Winchcomb)
Hants: Stares (Wickham)
Lincs: Maw, Jackson (Epworth, Belton)
London: Pierce
Suffolk: Markham (Framlingham)
Surrey: Gosling (Richmond)
Wilts: Matthews, Tarrant (Calne, Preshute)
Worcs: Milward (Redditch)
Yorks: Beaumont, Crook, Moore, Styring (Huddersfield); Middleton (Church Fenton); Exley, Gelder (High Hoyland); Barnes, Birchinall (Sheffield); Kenyon, Wood (Cumberworth/Denby Dale)