1966 Pte J W White 6th Hamps Regt

[Guest Ian Bowbrick]

I refered to this soldier in a earlier post on medal index cards - he went overseas in October 1915 but his medal index card has the entry for the 1914/15 Star scored through as not eligible - it appears to have been issued and an entry made on the roll, but was then ordered returned. His service record is not to be found in either WO 363 or 364. However there is an entry for him in the National Roll, which states that he was posted to India in October 1915 (ties up with the MIC) and was employed on garrison duties. He was then posted to Mespot in 1916 and fought in the Battle of Kut..........He re-joined the Army after the war which probably explains why his record is not to be found apart from being destroyed

I know this is him as according to the medal roll, which for the Hampshires are arranged in alphabetical order, there was only one J W White in the 6th Hampshires.

Does this mean that service in India did not qualify for the award of campaign medals in WW1?

Or was it that he did not land in India before 1 January 1916?

Or is there another explanation?

Advice appreciated!

Ian

[Alan Lines]

Ian

I'm no expert but have come up with the following which I think explains things. The following is the movements of the 1st/4th Hampshires in WW1..........sailed for India, landing Karachi 11 November 1914. 18 March 1916 : landed at Basra with 33rd Indian Brigade, and remained in Mesopotamia and Persia for the rest of the war etc. etc............ I have the MIC to an original member of the Battalion and his date of entry/qualifying date for the 15 Star is 18/3/15 the day they landed at Basra NOT in India. So it looks like the Star was not awarded for service in India. However I think they were entilted to at least the British War Medal for india service.

Here are the movements of the 1st/6th.........Formed August 1914 :In Portsmouth. Bn was Army Troops attached to Wessex Division, later attached to Devon and Cornwall Brigade. 9th October 1914 : sailed for India, landing Karachi 11 November 1914. 16 September 1917 : landed at Basra , and remained in Mesopotamia for the rest of the war, attached to the 52nd Brigade, 17th Indian Division.............so if my earlier comments are correct and he stayed with the Btn. the whole time he would not have been entitled to a 15 Star.

Which National Roll is White in? I couldn't find him in the Southampton one. Off at a tangent I have a lovely tobacco case engraved to Pte. A.G Jewer 1st/6th Hants, Kirkee India 1919. His entry in the National Roll mentions earlier service in F & F (I know the Roll details are often wrong) and his Medal Roll states 14th CID, 3rd Btn. (The third did not go overseas as far as I know.) His full entitlement is a BWM which suggests to me he may well only have served in India.

I expect somebody out there will know the exact entitlements for service in India.

[Guest Ian Bowbrick]

Alan,

Many thanks for that. White is in the Portsmouth edition. Now there are two entries for him. But it is the same man as I have checked the medal index cards and rolls and there was only one J W White in the 1/6th Hampshires. The entry that is correct says he went to India in October 1915 and was entitled to a pair only.

Thanks,

Ian