Second Anglo-Afghan War 1878-80

[ShaunJ]

1st Div NF. CofE 13/12/85

It's First Division, Northern Force, Camp of Exercise.

All three phrases are in this cutting from the Times of India, 31 December 1885

[Garen]

1st Div NF. CofE 13/12/85

It's First Division, Northern Force, Camp of Exercise.

All three phrases are in this cutting from the Times of India, 31 December 1885

Excellent work, Shaun - thank you.

[nellie d]

1st Div NF. CofE 13/12/85

It's First Division, Northern Force, Camp of Exercise.

All three phrases are in this cutting from the Times of India, 31 December 1885

Thank you Shaun.
What a total star 

[Chaplain]

Greetings.

I am doing some genealogy research for a friend and came across an entry for his great-grandfather, James Coltham, who served in the second Anglo-Afghan Campaign.  I have attempted to search for his service record however, it does not appear to be available.  James was born in 1855 in Canterbury and was baptised James Gray Coltham.  It was a fluke that I came across an entry that states that a duplicate medal and clasp were sent to him in 1919 for the Afghan campaign 1878-1881.  The research I have done to date has only produced the following:

James Coltham
Rank:  Driver (what was a driver back then)
Number:  5955 or 5954
Regiment:  C/2 Royal Artillery
Medal Rolls:  MR 3/ MR13
Served:  1878-1880 in the campaign

Just wondering where else I could go to find out more information.  I have checked the National Archives and Findmypast but there are no service records available on either site.

I'm wondering if anyone might be able to shed some light as to where I could look next for further information.

[Garen]

Hello Chaplain

I'm not sure what else you can do as far as researching James himself goes - you've done birth, death and marriage and census returns, I'm sure. Another thing to search, if you haven't already, is newspapers.

For more context you can research C/2 RA, and then the Afghan War more widely, of course.

As a pointer, C/2 came into Afghanistan in early 1880, posted to Kandahar. Soon after arrival, two guns went north to Khelat-i-Ghilzai. After the British disaster at Maiwand, C/2's remaining four guns were part of the defense of Kandahar and covering the sortie into Deh Kwaja. Meanwhile the two guns at Khelat-i-Ghilzai joined Roberts' force on its way down from Kabul and returned with them to Kandahar. The battery was also involved in the Battle of Kandahar on 1st Sep 1880.

If James was with the two guns that went to Khelat then he'd also have the Kabul-Kandahar bronze star. He has the clasp for the battle at Kandahar.

A driver was a man who would aid with the transport of the guns (horses, limbers, carriages, supplies, etc.) rather than an operator of the guns (gunner).

Best of luck - Garen

[Chaplain]

Thank-you so much Garen for your assistance.  Yes I have checked birth, marriage, death, and census records and newspapers too.  However,  your context is very helpful and so I will see if a wider search on the internet will shed anymore light.

Allison