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Posted by emteef (U5416294) on Tuesday, 10th June 2008
There seems to be little written about this action or the Bazar Valley Campaign.
A Great Uncle served with the 1st Battalion, the Seaforth Highlanders and died from 'wounds or disease' and was commemorated in a memorial in Rawalpindi.
I have contacted the Regimental Museum who say that without a service number they cannot assist - any suggestions
Are you sure about the date (1908)?
Wiki refers to a campaign of 1897-1898.
I suppose there has been some friction there, between the various sub-groups of the Pashtun, ever since.
Try a search on GOOGLE BOOKS
There are lots of references to various campaigns in Mohmand though unusually most are only limited view.
There is a brief mention of the 1st Seaforths in Mohmand in 1908 in The Scottish Soldier and Empire, 1854-1902 By Edward M. Spiers.
Thanks for interest
Date shown on memorial is apparently 1908,
viz.' To the Glory of God and in memory of the officers and men of the 1st Battalion Seaforth Highlanders who were killed in action or died of wounds or disease in the Bazar valley and Mohmand Expeditions, North West Frontier, 1908'
Great uncle was born in 1882 and so would have been 26 by that time.
Another refeerence I have found states that one of the officers mentioned on the memorial was accidentally killed on North West Frontier on 24th May, 1908. so it is possible that there was action at that time.
As you put it in your original message '..memorial in Rawalpindi ...' I'd presume it logical that the Battalion was garrisoned there before and perhaps after the expedition.
On Family Trees I've seen rootschat recommended, so if you haven't been there previously perhaps this might be a place to look
Thanks JMB, Will seek out a copy and read further
Emteef,
Through wikipedia - Seaforth Highlanders - I found this thread, where you may have to go through your local library service if you want to see the actual books
Good luck
Thanks, it is difficult to know where to start when information is limited and you think of the one source which then fails. I will give this a try.
The Seaforth Highlanders were the combined 72nd and 78th, the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders were the 79th Regiment though all one regiment now I think!
If you can get to Fort George, the regimental museum there has a good library. I spent a few interesting hours following my Great Grandfather's service in the 72nd Regiment through Regimental Orders etc.
I think the museum in Tain also has some Seaforth Highlander items.
MB
Thanks JMB, I tried the Reg. Museum at Fort George some time ago and they said that without service number they could be of little assistance.
One of these days perhaps I will manage round there to have a look through the archives
OK on the museum.
There is probably not much that they can do without the regimental number but if you ever have time to visit then you might be able to find something in the library if they have Regimental Orders for that period - needs a lot of reading so not practical for them to do.
MB
Thanks - probably why the negative response. Willgive it a shot
emteef
Emteef,
You may have seen these already;
The 1908 memorial is about halfway down the page,
There is abook about the Mohmand expedition,
Frontier and Overseas Expeditions from India Volume 1 (Supplement)
ISBN 9781845743598
Naval and Military Press have a copy at Β£38.
Trike.
That book is available in the Internet Archive but it is the 1907 edition so not much use for something that happened in 1908 unfortunately.
Creator Government Of India
Media Type texts
Date 1907
Identifier FrontierAndOverseasExpeditionsFromIndiaVolI
Language English
Title Frontier And Overseas Expeditions From India (Vol I)
Other volumes also
Thanks Trike,
It was actually the Angelfire.com site where I located my great uncle in the first instance. Having heard that he had not returned from 'India' I began a trawl of the net and found that entry.
The book reference is interesting although may prove a trifle expensive.
It is Supplement A of Volume 1
The price has dropped overnight to Β£22
Cannot find this Supplement on the Internet Archive.
Trike.
Thanks for that Trike - maybe not too canny a Scot but have 'splashed out' a copy could just be an interesting read if no other information is found but will let you know.
Emteef,
I hope that the info provided will be helpful.
Please keep us informed as to your progress, it has been a tricky subject to find much about.
Best of luck with your research.
Trike.
Trike,
Willupdate once I have received a copy of the book. It would appear that the price differences relate to the difference between Hard back and paperback, being a Scot , paperback will do!!
Frontier and Overseas Expeditions from India has arrived.
On a quick look through I found that those killed and wounded were mentioned by name and nature of injury.
Unfortunately there was no mention of my relative by name, so presumably he was not killed and did not die from injury sustained.
There is an extract from a Medical report on water sources in the area which speifies that sterilizing tablets were issued to the two British Battalions in that theatre ie the 1st Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers and the 1st Battalion Seaforth Highlanders. It goes on to say that the 1st battalion Seaforth Highlanders had very little bowel complaint - perhaps he was one of the unfortunate few.
Thanks to all who have assisted with this query, perhaps on a more indepth reading I will come up with some further information which will assist.
emteef
Emteef,
Unfortunately there was no mention of my relative by name, so presumably he was not killed and did not die from injury sustained.Β
That is disappointing news.I had thought the book would provide the answers.Does it mention the others on the memorial window?
It looks as though JMB's suggestion of digging through the regimental archives at Fort George might be the only way forward.
Trike.
Have you got confirmation that his name is on the memorial in Rawalpindi or is it a story in the family?
I suppose if he died from wounds or illness then he could have been missed off the casualty list though it should have been recorded somewhere by the regiment.
MB
Mentioned in the list of those killed and also showing on the memorial are Major N C Maclachlan who died as a result of accidental gunshot to the head and Pvte J(ohn) White, Regt No. 9546, who also died of accidental gunshot to the head,
None of the others mentioned on the memorial appear to be listed.
Guess I will have to take a hike to Fort George at some point. Perhaps the Regt.Number given for Private White and another wounded Seaforth may give a clue as to the time periods to look at for recruiting.
Thanks for your guidance and assistance
emteef
Hi MB,
I came across the angelfire site:
some time ago (second item down on the page) and found the name there, having had information from family members that he had gone to India with the Regt and not returned.
Some time has obviously elapsed since 1908 and in some respects it is perhaps easier to find information now, than before - or so one may think!
The search will continue - at a slower rate.
Thanks for your encouragement and guidance also
emteef
Hi Trike,
All may not be lost yet. I have just been having a look through another well known web book sales page and see that there are a number of different volumes / supplements from the same series - Frontier and Overseas Expeditions From India showing - possibly I may have picked on the wrong one to purchase.
I guess I will wait until I have earned a few more 'Brownie points' before I splash out on another volume.
emteef
It is worth setting up some searches on eBay so if any relevant books appear then you will get an EMail.
I have got a few that way for quite reasonable prices.
I would check first with the Fort George museum that you can use their library but they were very helpful when I went over there a few years ago. Fort George is worth a visit anyway because they have a good museum and the fort itself is very interesting.
MB
Hi Emteef,
I,ve done some more digging and have a bit more, at least about the officers,
Second Lt MacFadyen and Major Forbes-Sempill were killed during the Zakka Khel expedition in February 1908
and a short biography of Forbes-Sempill,
One of the Frontier and Overseas Supplements [Volume2, Supplement A]is about the Zakka Khel expedition,it is on Amazon, but I can't get the link to work.
That is an intriguing mention about both Major MacLachlan and Private White dying of accidental gunshots to the head. I wonder if it is official-speak for saving their last bullets for themselves
Best wishes
Trike.
Will bear that in mind.
Have asked the bookshop if they could have a sneak preview and advise if any of the remaining volumes were relevant?
If you do not ask , you will not find out.
Just have to wait and see
emteef
I don't think I suggested earlier but try asking in the Yahoo BritRegiments group.
There are a lot of people with knowledge of the British military history there and someone could even have a copy of one of a suitable book.
There are probably other groups more relevant to Scottish regiments but you would need to search for them.
MB
OK Thanks once again for that
emteef
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