Second Anglo-Afghan War 1878-80

[Garen]

Hello Sandra

As ShaunJ says, Charles Elvis is confirmed on the Afghan war medal roll, and also his service record (or part of it) is viewable on FindMyPast, confirming some of your story.

He wasn't in receipt of the Kabul-Kandahar Star, the 10th Hussars were not involved in that event, and he also doesn't seem to have been awarded the Ali-Masjid clasp - this was the first action of the campaign in which two squadrons of the 10th Hussars were involved.

The river crossing story makes sense - I wrote an article about that event here.

The 10th Hussars departed Afghanistan in June 1879, suffering heavily from cholera and heat on the way.

Best -
Garen

I've just found the obituary of a very distant relative:

Charles Walter Elvis born 25 Mar 1858 Coventry, joined the 10th Royal Hussars on his 14th birthday as a drummer boy, and served with them until discharged in 1882. It says that he received a medal for the Afghanistan campaign and a star for the Kabul-Kandahar march, and that he was one of 14 survivors of a disastrous river crossing (possibly the one on 31 March 1879?).

He returned to Coventry, married twice and had 7 children in total. He died in Coventry on 26 Oct 1947 aged 89.

The military service details was second hand information supplied more than 6 decades after it happened. Is it possible to verify this, and if so, how?

Thanks
Sandra

[slewi4]

Thanks Shaun and Garen,

I didn't think that the march was likely, as I had read a couple of articles about it and neither mentioned the 10th Hussars. Maybe this was a story he told about the war in general, and years later the family assumed that he was in it.

The river crossing did seem plausible to me, but I haven't seen reference to 14 survivors anywhere else.

Thanks for finding the service record. Its very much appreciated

Regards
Sandra