Thanks for all that, much appreciated.
Yes, that's definitely him in the 9th Lancers - Private G Whittaker, no.1949, in receipt of the Afghan medal with clasps for Kabul and Kandahar, and the Kandahar Bronze Star.
There's an obituary for him the Folkstone Herald of 21 Jan 1933:
"Kingstone - DEATH OF KANDAHAR MARCH SURVIVOR - The death has occurred of Mr. George Whitaker, aged 74, who had lived in Kingstone for many years, Mr. Whitaker had a long and creditable connection with the Army. He served with the 9th Queen’s Royal Lancers from 1878-1887 and with the Army Reserve till 1890. During this time he took part in Lord Roberts’s memorable march to Kandahar and its relief in 1880, when the relief column covered 313 miles in 22 days through hostile country. Mr. Whitaker was one of the last survivors of that campaign."Perhaps a slight stretch to say he was one of the last survivors as a fair number lived into the 1930s and 40s, and a handful even into the 50s, but the numbers were certainly dwindling by then.
George doesn't appear on the casualty roll for the 9th Lancers in Afghanistan, so doesn't seem to have been wounded in action, and he managed to serve to 1890 - a full term of 12 years. The 9th Lancers were already in India by 1878 when he enlisted, so he'd have gone out there as a new recruit and he'd have returned with them to England, probably on the Crocodile, in October 1885 (Portsmouth, then on to Canterbury).
Hope some of that is useful.
Best wishes - Garen
George Whitaker (spelled various ways) born 1858, Petham, Kent. Census 1891 Westcliffe, Dover. Died Nov. 1932, Elham reg. district.
In later life he was apparently in a "sorely crippled condition", so possibly injured?
I am intrigued by the gravestone. It is of the type normally placed on the graves of servicemen, with the regimental emblem at the top, but on the back it says "Erected by his friends". I don't really know how those sort of stones are usually come by.
Thanks for your interest.