Indian Labour Corps and the Indian Army Lists

[ddycher]

All

Anyone have any idea why the Indian Labour Corps are not covered in the Army Lists ?

Regards

Dave

[Matthew B.]

Dave,

I am looking at the July 1918 Indian Army list and I find on page 616a the heading Indian Labour Companies, Corps and Depots. It runs to page 616k.

It would not appear in the (British) Army List as its not a British Army unit I would say.

Regards,

Matthew

[ddycher]

Got it. Matthew. Thank you.

Dave

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

What about British Officers attached or seconded to Imperial State Forces during the Great War: where were they listed?

Kindest regards,

Kim.

[Matthew B.]

Kim,

They would be listed in the Indian Army List but the details of their attachment to the ISF may not. ISF units tend to be trickey.

Cheers

Matthew

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear Matthew and GWFs,

Tricky is the right word!

Beverley Carthew Covell, AMICE and an Old Boy of Kings School Canterbury: 2Lt from B.B. and C.I. Railway Vols to IARO 1914, and attached 53 Sikhs (Frontier Force) 1914/15; disappeared from the 1916 and following IA Lists (apart from his Vols to IARO entry: Captain 20 Nov 1918 and from 1919 shown as Released IARO).

In actual fact, he was attached as a Special Service Officer to Alwar Imperial State Infantry on 23 Feb 1915.

On 5 Oct 1917 he transferred to 1st Patiala Sikhs Infantry - and on 17 Dec 1917, Lt Covell became a Staff Captain, 49 Indian Infantry Brigade (this latter confirmed in the 18 Mar 1918 London Gazette).

His School obituary noted a Mention in Despatches, but this has not been confirmed in a London Gazette entry...

Later (25 Aug 1923) VD, and a 1935 Jubilee as Deputy Agent, B.B. and C.I. Railways. Died 1951 at Pangbourne. Can anybody add anything?

Kindest regards,

Kim.

[MaureenE]

In respect of the Imperial Service Troops, who were subsequently renamed the India States Forces, there is a book in preparation called Indian State Forces in the Great War, an initiative of the United Service Institution of India

http://indiaww1.in/ourpublication.aspx

Perhaps this will include details of Officers.

There was also a book published in 2013 The Maharajas` Paltans: A History of the Indian State Forces (1888-1948), (Set of 2 Parts) by Richard Head & Tony McClenaghan.

Available from the publishers Manohar, of India, and other sources. http://www.manoharbooks.com/BookDetails.asp?bookid=124448

I have not seen a copy, so don’t know what it contains, but it totals over 1,000 pages.

Cheers

Maureen

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear Maureen,

Good work, as usual! Both books are certainly well worth obtaining.

As far as the Special Service Officers were concerned, the Indian Army List compilers seemed to have had no appropriate section for them...

Interestingly, the person who made out the Medal Index Card for the 1914-15 Star to 2/Lt., Capt., B. C. Covell (Theatre of War: Egypt 22 Feb 1915), probably in early 1919, wrote in the box 'Corps': NIL.

On 23 Feb 1915 Lieut. Covell joined the Alwar (I. S.) Infantry as an SSO...

On the back of the MIC: 'List of claims for 1914-15 Star submitted by Deputy Adjutant General 3rd Echelon, GHQ, Egyptian Expeditionary Force, 5 Mar 1919' 'Alexandria'.

This may have been his Establishment when a staff officer, 1917-18.

Kindest regards,

Kim.