1915 Indian Army List 12th Cavalry look-up please

[Jon lee]

I would be very grateful if this request was miraculously solvable by you guys.

Right, I have this photo of the Jodhpur Lancers in France dated 28th July 1915. In it are 3 British Officers (Colonel Holden, Captain Skinner and this one other Brit whose photo I attach here.)

He seems to have 3 medal ribbons (the first hidden) and three pips for a Captain.

As far as I was aware, the only possible candidates would be

Captain Eustace Lockhart Maxwell, 11th B.L. Probyn's Horse [born 1878]

Captain Philip Francis Gell, 14th B.L. Murray's Jats [born 1880]

A guy at some stage referred to as "Maj Fergusson, 15th Lancers" who I just can't find at all at the moment. I can find no record for such a man (with a double S in his name) though there was a Captain George Chichester Smyth Ferguson, 6th Cavalry [born1885] and a Captain John Allan Ferguson, 13th Rajputs [born 1889] in the Indian Army at the time.

But this guy in the photo is wearing the cap badge of the 12th Cavalry. I don't know of any of these officers having served with the 12th Cavalry

Is it possible one of you could look in the IAL for the 12th Cavalry in 1915 and find a list of Captains (with a 3 medal entitlemnt!) that it could be.

The other officers who served in France were the following. I list them with the reasons they shouldn't be in the photo !

(The third officer in the photo should be Major Addington Dawsonne Strong, 10th BL Hodson's Horse [born 1875] but I'm sure it's not him, and he'd been a Major since Jan 1913).

Edward Malcolm Hughes was a Lt Col with 14th Murray Jats.[born 1869]

Captain Henry Fyshe-Palmer Hornsby 5th Cav didn't go to France till 1st Feb 1917 [born 1884]

Major Robert George Anthony Trail, Guides Cav was in France with 15th BL Cureton's but didn't join Jodhpur Lancers till Jan 1916 [born 1879]

Major Guy Rutherford Prescott Wheatley 27th Lt Cav was in France with the 27th Cav but didn't join JL till Egypt [born 1875]

Capt Alban John Reynolds 37th Lancers was in the Sudan and India [born 1881]

Many many thanks

Jon

[Old Owl]

Hi Jon,

I don't have access to the IAL but in the BAL for July,1915, under 12th Cavalry IA are listed the following Captains:

E.A.H.Fell; H.T.Shakespear; J.B.Lynch; W.M.Churchill; W.R.P.Henry; also two others who are noted as being on the Staff: S.F.Muspratt; A.H.M.Wilson and two Majors: S.M.Tahourdin; H.B.D.Baird, DSO. Lt.Col.E.deV.Wintle in command.

Unfortunately I cannot tell their medal entitlements.

Robert

[Jon lee]

Robert,

Thank you so much. Just what I was after - though what a shame nothing matches yet.

I'm quite baffled as I reckon the Jodhpur Lancers only had 4 Special Service Officers with them in 1915 Colonel Holden, Major Strong, Captain Skinner and Captain Maxwell.

I'm thinking it's Maxwell but if you look at his service record below (as far as I have been able to determine it), he was 11th Lancers (Probyn's) through and through till the end.

Thanks so much for going to the trouble for me. Much appreciated.

Jon

Born: 6 Jan 1878 Guildford

New College Oxford

Date of 1^st Commission: 24 Jan 1900 Devonshire Regiment

Appointed Substantive Lieut.: 7 Nov 1901

Appointed Indian Army: 2 July 1900

South African War, 1900-01.Operations in Natal, April-June 1900 operations in the Transvaal, East of Pretoria, Aug-29 Nov 1900 including actions at Belfast (26, 27 Aug 1900), Lydenberg (5-8 Sept 1900)- Medal with 3 clasps

To Indian Staff Corps as lieutenant 2^nd July 1902

Squadron Officer, and Temporary Capt. Probyn’s Horse 1902-09 (IGS medal?)

Went to France with the Jodhpur Lancers in Oct 1914

Temporary Major 20 Jan 1916

Missing in Action, presumed dead, 9 March 1916 as Lt Col 11^th (KEO) Lancers (Probyn’s Horse) as Commandant 23^{rd (Pals)} Manchesters. (Neuve Chapelle memorial and one in Guildford parish church)

Author of ‘ A History of the XI King Edward’s Own Lancers (Probyn’s Horse) Published by AC Curtis Ltd., Guildford1941

[Old Owl]

Jon,

Under the 11th Cavalry(Probyn's Horse) there are 7 Captains:

R.Anderson; A de C Rennick; R.G.Alexander; D.E.Robertson; E.L.Maxwell; A.F.Hartley; St.J.V.Baker.

Lt.Col.A.C.M.Waterfield in command and Majors: W.H.Norman; G.B.M.Sarel; T.R.C.Price and G.M.Orr.

Hope this helps,

Robert

[Jon lee]

Thanks again Robert.

I'm sure it will turn out to be Maxwell in the photo. We'll check with the War Diary as to who was with the regiment that day and perhaps another photo of him will one day materialise.

He went to France with the Jodhpur Lancers in October 1914. Is it possible that by July 1915 his personal supply of officer cap badges for the 11th BL had run out and he borrowed this cap and/or badge off another officer in the Division - perhaps just for the photo?

[themonsstar]

For Maxwell

​IAL Oct 1914 & July 1915

[Jon lee]

Thanks for that confirmation that Maxwell was continuously 11th BL.

The author in India has just added that according to the War Diary, Captain Gell broke his collar bone on 23rd July 1915 and was admitted to Lucknow [brigade?] clearing hospital on 24th July 1915 - so he can't be in the photo. Nor can Major Strong who was replaced by Captain Skinner.

Paul on the BMF also pointed out that ribbons should be center aligned on the breast pocket and not left aligned as I had thought - so he's only wearing two. One could be a 1911 Delhi Durbar

Matthew on SA Gongs thinks it could be Captain EHL Fell 12th Cavalry (who was at the 1911 DD, and in the Boer War) He was ADC to the GOC of the 2nd Indian Cavalry Division from 28th August 1915 so could have been in France the month before.