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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Ceylon Mounted Rifles


lauracobb

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Dear all

I am asking on behalf of an older friend who is much more of a technophobe than me :rolleyes:

Can anyone tell me what the Ceylon Mounted Rifles did during the Great War? I have found some interesting information through the search function of the forum.

Any responses would be greatly appreciated!

Hope you are all having a lovely weekend.

Laura

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post-20901-081115700 1296918902.jpg

Laura

Greetings

Here is part of a page from Lucas' The Empire At War.

Harry

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While Lucas's summation is technically correct, I find it a little misleading.

It must be made clear that the CMR, as a unit, did not/not participate in the Great War -- apart from some local (Ceylon) defence efforts. The contingent Lucas refers to was unambiguously a CPRC (Ceylon Planters Rifle Corps) unit, which simply took on some additional personnel to beef up their ranks, some of whom came from the CMR. To put it in perspective, the CPRC Contingent was almost 230 strong (a double company) and only 2 officers and 34 men where drawn from the CMR.

There was, in fact, a great deal of frustration amongst the members of the CMR over the decision not to send the unit for service abroad (the offer was made -- but turned down on the basis of expense), and over 200 of them ended up resigning and serving in other Imperial units, some 40 of whom where killed.

Cheers,

Glen

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My Great-uncle Cecil Radcliffe Goldie-Taubman was Private 2103 Ceylon Planters Rifles, he was in Egypt on 17-11-1914, OTC Egypt on 5-4-1915 and subsequently commissioned into the 6th Service Batt. South Lancs Regiment and he was awarded the Military Cross for service in Gallipoli.

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  • 4 years later...

My Great-uncle Cecil Radcliffe Goldie-Taubman was Private 2103 Ceylon Planters Rifles, he was in Egypt on 17-11-1914, OTC Egypt on 5-4-1915 and subsequently commissioned into the 6th Service Batt. South Lancs Regiment and he was awarded the Military Cross for service in Gallipoli.

Came across your post when researching Goldie-Taubman and Ceylon Planters Rifles. I have the Ceylon Volunteer Service Medal awarded to Cecil Radcliffe Goldie-Taubman. Get in touch with me if you would like a photograph of it. Only new to this forum, so not sure if I can send it to you via private message here, if not, send me your email address, or I will send you mine.

My Great-uncle Cecil Radcliffe Goldie-Taubman was Private 2103 Ceylon Planters Rifles, he was in Egypt on 17-11-1914, OTC Egypt on 5-4-1915 and subsequently commissioned into the 6th Service Batt. South Lancs Regiment and he was awarded the Military Cross for service in Gallipoli.

Came across your post when researching Goldie-Taubman and Ceylon Planters Rifles. I have the Ceylon Volunteer Service Medal awarded to Cecil Radcliffe Goldie-Taubman. Get in touch with me if you would like a photograph of it. Only new to this forum, so not sure if I can send it to you via private message here, if not, send me your email address, or I will send you mine.

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You can't message without having (I think) ten or so posts so I have sent a message to him/her to alert them to your posting

Hope you find each other

John

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  • 6 years later...

This is an old thread but I hope it's OK to post to it.  I am interested in one Thomas Smyth Thorpe.  I have an obituary from 1943 that tells me he was in the Ceylon Mounted Rifles, though I don't know exactly when.  He worked for Marshall, Sons & Co Ltd designing tea processing machinery based in Colombo.  I  know that he was in Ceylon from 1897 until 1915 (when he would have been 42), and that in 1918 he was back in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire assisting Marshalls in their production of tanks.  The question is whether anything is known of him from 1915 to 1918.  

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Side Arm

He is shown here as being a Corporal and also serving in the  Light Horse. I have seen a Corporal 521 T S THORPE  listed in the CMR but can't  find that record at the moment.

https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Thomas_S._Thorpe

I  believe that AVLH = Assam Valley Light Horse.

Dave

 

Edited by HERITAGE PLUS
Typo correction
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  • 3 weeks later...

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