British soldiers serving in India

[aeroqueen]

Sorry for not making that clear in my reply to Osprey.

[ShaunJ]

If this is your man (with the children listed by Osprey), he was in 20th Brigade, Royal Artillery: https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/60931/images/45450_1831101456_0153-00248

138 was in 17th Brigade.

[aeroqueen]

Shaunj
Hi thankyou its appreciated

[ShaunJ]

So it appears that your man died in service in 1873 and his British army records have not survived. There might be something for him in the HEIC registers at the British Library.

[aeroqueen]

Thankyou ShaunJ

[ShaunJ]

FIBIS might be able to advise you on what records may exist for a gunner in the Madras Artillery:
https://www.fibis.org/

[mweston]

I am also researching a soldier serving in India.  His name is Alexander Davidson.  The first document is his marriage certificate, thanks to Findmypast, he married 4th June 1834 at Bangalore to an Emmelia Elizabeth Wallace.  He is a Quarter Master Sergeant 7th Light Cavalry.  He then becomes a  Riding-Master for the Fifth Regiment Light Cavalry "Assaye" on 19th July 1836.  Sadly Emmelia dies 26 May 1842 and Alexander is still Riding-Master of 5th Regt L.C.  Emmelia is buried at Bellary.  Alexander is then promoted to Lieutenant on 29th March 1857; Then the 5th Regiment LC becomes the 105th Foot and he becomes Paymaster on 12th August 1862; Honorary Captain 12th August 1867; Honorary Major 12th August 1872.  He is placed on half pay 21st April 1880, Alexander's death is recorded in Middlesex on 28th June 1880.  This has taken me many years to confirm. Now I am trying to find out where he actually came from.  He was witness to a deposition:   "Alexander Davidson, son of John Davidson, aged forty-nine years, a Presbyterian by religion, Lieutenant and Riding Master 5th L. C. by occupation, and residing at Bellary, 604. 60 No. 448. Deposition of Defendant’s 155th witness, February 9 and 10, 1858. George Solomon Frost Ross, son of George Ross, aged fifty-two years, a merchant by occupation, and residing at Bellary, 595. 61 No. 279." which gives me that he was born around c.1809 and his religion was Presbyterian, probably Scottish with the name Davidson.  Is there a way of finding out his enlistment and pre 1834 years.  I have been through Fold3/Ancestry/Findmypast/Familysearch/India Office and FIBIS but to no avail.  I feel lucky to have what I have found but it would be great if I could get the last piece.   I have verification of all of the above.  Hope you can advise.

[Andy J2022]

@mweston
As the 7th and the 5th Bengal Light Cavalry were part of the East India Company, any information about his enlistment, if it still exists, will be in the EIC archives in the British Library's collection. You say you have already looked there, but are you just relying on the online records? Because comparatively little of the EIC records has been digitised, you may find a visit to the BL is needed.

As I'm sure you are aware the key to your problem is to find his enlistment details which should say where he was born. Obviously the British Army records won't be any help as the EIC was entirely separate at that time. Once he was in the Bengal Army it is much less likely for there to be any record of his birth place in his service record which you seem to have already. Unless you can find him with some certainty in a later British census, I don't see another solution.

[mweston]

Thanks Andy, I feared that would be the case.  As I live in Sydney Australia and with the cost of air fares, I can't see a trip to England in the not too distant future.  It is a shame that there is not more of the EIC digitised.  You have confirmed what the roads I took led me to, the British Library.  Many thanks for the advice.