East African Railways - An Indian Connection?

[tonyforrest]

My chiropractor has dropped this one on me and since, if I get it wrong, it might really hurt.........

He has an ancestor of whom very little is known beyond the CWGC basics. These show:

Driver E Willard 16468 East African Railways. Died 2 July 1916. Face F Kirkee 14-18 Memorial.

I can find no trace in Medal Cards and the service number, if it be that, does not really sit with 'East African Railways'. Yes, I am aware that the organisation did not come into being until after WW1 (which doesn't help) and that the Kirkee memorial represents a 'concentration' of graves from across India. Does anyone have any idea why a Driver might have been serving in India rather than, well, East Africa? Any assistance would be much appreciated.

I'm posting this initially in the Sub-Saharan forum for no reason other than the African reference comes first in the record.

[bushfighter]

Tony

I will make a couple of guesses.

The British Army took over the running of the Uganda Railway in British East Africa and so the railways became an army unit.

Your man could have died in India whilst on a visit.

He could have escorted enemy European prisoners or internees from East Africa to India, where they were initially sent, or he could have gone to India to take over engines and rolling stock that were being despatched for use on the railways in British East Africa and in the captured territory in German East Africa.

Best of luck with your search for more information.

Harry

[bruce]

Nothing for that name on SDGW or on Ancestry.......

Bruce