Sergeant William Palmer appears in three pictures of the 1st Battalion taken at Secunderabad in late 1896 - in the line up of the Sergeants and also in the NCOs of "D" Company group and a whole company shot of "D" Company.
Young Florence (age 5 and a half) appears in the School picture looking somewhat unimpressed!
This is an outline of William's (first) career in the Northamptonshire Regiment:
Enlisted at Northampton on 18th May 1886
Age 18 years and 6 months
A labourer prior to enlisting
Joined the Northamptonshire Regiment at Northampton on 20th May 1886
Terms of enlistment: 7 years active service & 5 years on reserve = 12 years
Training at Northampton Depot (Barracks) from May to November 1886
Joined 1st Battalion at Aldershot on 20th November 1886
Appointed as Provisional (unpaid) Lance-Corporal on 18th February 1888
Moved with the 1st Battalion to Warley on 15th March 1888
Granted 1st Good Conduct Badge (chevron on arm) and pay after 2 years service on 18th May 1888
Sent to the Tower of London on 1st June 1888 (as a Guard whilst the Yeoman Warders were training)
Returned to Warley on 25th July 1888
Appointed as Lance-Corporal on 18th January 1889
Sent back to the Tower of London 27th April 1889
Promoted to Corporal on 29th May 1889
Gained 3rd Class Education Certificate on 24th June 1889
Returned to Warley on 25th July 1889
Extended his service to 12 years active service and none on Reserve on 14th November 1889
Hospital from 1st January 1890 to 17th February 1890
Gained 2nd Class Education Certificate on 18th March 1890
Hospital from 19th March 1890 to 1st May 1890
To London (the Tower again) on 1st May 1890
Returned to Warley on 2nd September 1890
Promoted to Sergeant on 26th November 1890
Moved to Aldershot with the 1st Battalion on 28th November 1890
In hospital from 12th April 1892 to 29th April 1892 with a gashed hand caused by a bottle bursting
Married to Louisa Norris on 3rd September 1892
To India aboard H.M.S. Malabar on 4th October 1892
HMS Malabar drops off and picks up troops from other Regiments at Gibraltar on 9th October 1892
HMS Malabar sails from Malta to Bombay on 15th October 1892
HMS Malabar leaves Port Said on 19th October 1892
HMS Malabar reaches Suez on 21st October 1892
1st Battalion landed in India at Bombay on 1st November 1892
Arrived at Bangalore with 1st Battalion on 19th November 1892
Florence Isabella born at Bangalore on 21st January 1893 (Christened 15th February 1893)
Arrived at Secunderabad with 1st battalion on 11th December 1895
Ivy Miriam born at Secunderabad on 9th September 1896 (Christened 7th October 1896)
Allowed to extend his service to 21 years on 20th April 1897 whilst at Secunderabad
A Sergeant in “D” Company in the photograph taken at Secunderabad in late 1896
The Tirah Expedition from 9th September to 31st December 1897
The incident at Saran Sar on 9th November 1897
Arrived in Peshawar after the Tirah Campaign on 25th December 1897
Awarded the India General Service Medal with three clasps – Samana 1897, Tirah Campaign 1897-98 and Punjab Frontier 1898
Arrived at …………… on 19th June 1898
Hospital at Mahahad from 20th September 1899 to 23rd December 1899 – operation for the removal of foreign bodies
Arrived back in England on 19th October 1900
Posted to the Northamptonshire Regiment Depot on 20th October 1900
Transferred to 3rd (Militia) Battanion on 8th March 1901 (EDITED)
To South Africa with 3rd (Militia) Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment on 8th April 1902
Awarded the Queen’s South Africa Medal and two clasps – Cape Colony and South Africa 1902
Arrived back in England on 20th September 1902
Promoted to Colour Sergeant on 19th April 1904 (EDITED)
William Sidney born at Northampton on 18th August 1904
Gladys May born at Northampton on 9th December 1906 (Christened 20th January 1907)
Discharged on Termination of Terms of enlistment after 21 years service on 17th May 1907
Also passed Musketry course at Hythe
Next of kin: Bartholomew Palmer, Pilton, Northamptonshire
Sources:
WO364:
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/iexec/?htx=View&r=5538&dbid=1114&iid=miuk1914a_086021-01506&fn=William&ln=Palmer&st=r&ssrc=&pid=790257(Images 17411 to 17418 of 21188)
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/iexec/?htx=View&r=5538&dbid=1114&iid=miuk1914a_119896-00585&fn=William&ln=Palmer&st=r&ssrc=&pid=970272(Images 21066 to 21070 of 21188)
History of the Northamptonshire Regiment 1742-1934, by Lt. Col. Russell Gurney
WO100 Medal Rolls:
India General Service Medal 1895 - Tirah campaign:
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/iexec/?htx=View&r=5538&dbid=1686&iid=31794_221437-00444&fn=W&ln=Palmer&st=r&ssrc=&pid=2477244Queens South Africa Medal - 2nd Boer War:
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/iexec/?htx=View&r=5538&dbid=1686&iid=31794_221478-00816&fn=W&ln=Palmer&st=r&ssrc=&pid=361396Steve.
(Edited to correct omission of promotion to Colour Sergeant).