Second Anglo-Afghan War 1878-80

[StephenPaternoster]

Hi Gabe

Henry King was on 16th September 1857 in Chipstead, Surrey, England he was married twice first to Ellen Baker from 20 July 1884 to 20 January 1906 she died they had no children.

He then met Ellen Weedon (My great great grandmother) though they got married years later after all there kids were born on 20 December 1920. Henry died in December 1939 in Reigate, Surrey.

Do you also have information on what 70th Foot did in India in April 1879 and also 1880 I presume Henry King was back in England and left army.

Regards

Stephen

[Garen]

Hello Stephen

Thanks for that info.

I don't have many resources at my fingertips for regiments outside of the Afghan War. I have researched regiments' embarkation dates and this is what I have for the 70th:

They left Queenstown on the Crocodile Oct 1871, arrived Bombay Nov 1871; departed Bombay on the Himalaya Sep 1884; arrived Suez same month; departed Alexandria Aug 1885 on the Arab; arrived Portsmouth Sep 1885.

Of course not every soldier would tally with those dates, but it'll be true for the majority of the regiment if they were still serving.

I had a very quick look at the newspapers and note the 70th returned to India in 1879 to Multan, and then moved to Subathu, possibly around June/July. By Jan 1880 it was reported the 70th were to remain at Umballa for the winter.

A more thorough search would give up more.

Best wishes -
Garen.

Hi Gabe

Henry King was on 16th September 1857 in Chipstead, Surrey, England he was married twice first to Ellen Baker from 20 July 1884 to 20 January 1906 she died they had no children.

He then met Ellen Weedon (My great great grandmother) though they got married years later after all there kids were born on 20 December 1920. Henry died in December 1939 in Reigate, Surrey.

Do you also have information on what 70th Foot did in India in April 1879 and also 1880 I presume Henry King was back in England and left army.

Regards

Stephen

[StephenPaternoster]

Hi Gabe

Thanks for the info Henry King must of returned to England with 70th sometime in 1880 and left army.

I think there must be another service record detailing more information about him than just medal roll but maybe they haven’t digitised most of those records for viewing.

Regards

Stephen

[Top-of-the-hill]

   I am trying to find out a bit about a local man who, according to the Rector's note when he died in 1932, was in the Rifle Brigade and was on the march to Kandahar. I can't find any service records on Findmypast. George Whitaker, born 1858 in Kent.

[Garen]

Thanks for your message. Do you have more info to help pinpoint him? Did he also live and die in Kent, did he marry, etc? Have you found him on any census returns?

The only G Whittaker I can find on the Afghan roll was in the 9th Lancers, and the only Whittaker I can find in a Rifle brigade was a James Whittaker in the Kings Royal Rifle Corps. Both were in receipt of the Kandahar Star for the march.

Best regards - Garen

   I am trying to find out a bit about a local man who, according to the Rector's note when he died in 1932, was in the Rifle Brigade and was on the march to Kandahar. I can't find any service records on Findmypast. George Whitaker, born 1858 in Kent.

[Top-of-the-hill]

  I have him in all censuses except 1881, plus birth and death. This started from a gravestone in a neighbouring churchyard, which reminded me of the piece from the rector. I went back today and had another look at it, and it has "9th Lancers" at the top. I could email you a picture of it if you PM me?

[Garen]

Thanks for that - 9th Lancers is interesting - they were definitely in the Kandahar march.

No need for a picture of the gravestone (but thank you) just some basic info would be helpful, so I can do as thorough a search as possible. Can you give me a location for one the later census returns (1891 perhaps)?

Thank you - Garen

  I have him in all censuses except 1881, plus birth and death. This started from a gravestone in a neighbouring churchyard, which reminded me of the piece from the rector. I went back today and had another look at it, and it has "9th Lancers" at the top. I could email you a picture of it if you PM me?

[Top-of-the-hill]

   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.

[Garen]

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.