98th Coronative Infantry Regiment

[R Coasby]

Can someone tell me where this Regiment served during WW1 and any actions it may have been involved in?

My wife is Singaporean and her Grandfather T V Rengasamy Naidu enlisted in the Regiment 98th Coronative Infantry Regiment in 1914

We think he may have been based in Bangalore and Egypt and Mesapotamia.

There were medals, but they have become lost. One interesting one had 'IRAQ George V/Angel' in silver on the ribbon and around the medal engraved '82L NAIK RANGASAMI 86 INFANTRY'

Any assistance would be appreciated.

Roger Coasby

[Steven Broomfield]

Roger, according to Chris Kempton's various works, the 98th Infantry (no mention of "Coronative") were descended from a regiment raised in 1788: 1st Regt Salabat Khan's Elichpur Brigade", which, in 1826 became the 7th Infantry in the Army of the Nizam of Hyderabad, then, in 1854, the 5th Infantry, Hyderabad Contingent, acquiring the 98th Infantry in 1903.

At the outbreak of war they were in the Jubbulpore Brigade, proceeding to East Africa in November 1914. Interestingly, between leaving Jubbulpore area and getting to E Africa they spent two months in the Banglaore Brigade. They stayed there until January 1917, at which point they returned to India. In May 1918 they moved to East Persia, remaining there until 1920. In 1922 they became the 4th Battalion, 19th Hyderabad regiment (captured in Malaya in 1942). Forum member "Bushfighter" may well know more about their time in east Africa.

The 86th Infantry were the 86th Carnatic Infantry (The Carnatic being an area of southern India). They had been raised in the Madras Presidency in 1794 and in 1922 became toe 19th Battalion, 3rd Madras Regiment (disbanded 1926). In the Great War they spent the war in Burma, before going to Mesopotamia in mid-1920. I suspect that is the provenance of the medal (L/Naik being lance Naik, a rank equivalent to Lance Corporal).

[Trevelyan]

Perhaps the word you are looking for is Carnatic?

the 86th were indeed entitled as to the GSM-Iraq and were present during the campaign (and were involved in a few actions). There was in Indian Army British Officer with the Regiment with the name of Coasby in Iraq, so perhaps both sides of your family have a connection to the battalion!

Edited 16 March , 2014 by Trevelyan

[R Coasby]

Thanks very much for a quick and helpful response. I suspect there may have been some transcription errors in the notes I have. For example Infantry is spelt Infrantry.

T V Rengasamy Naidu was also awarded medals in the Second World War when he was living in Malaya, but my notes says he was then employed as Rubber Plantation Supervisor.. He would have been over 40 years old. The family story is that he was captured by the Japanese.

As they were desperate for rubber for their war effort, perhaps the Japs employed Naidu in that role rather than him languishing in a prison camp or working on the Burma Railway.

Regards

Roger Coasby

[Steven Broomfield]

Oops - an error. The 86th became the 10th Battalion. 3rd Madras Regiment - not the 19th. Typo. Sorry.