Sjack91 Posted 13 August , 2018 Share Posted 13 August , 2018 Good Evening I am researching Stewart Robertson who was born in Girvan, Ayrshire and previous to WW1 was a Police Constable living in Dumbarton Road, Partick. He moved around due to the nature of his job living in Uddingston before moving back to Girvan again. I have his service attestation from FMP however I am struggling to understand it. The details that I can understand are listed below. Attestation; 23rd September 1914 Service number; 1515 also 865819 on medal index card Regiment; 2nd/3rds Devon Battery. 8th Wessex Brigade Health; Malaria from 25th October 1916 to 9th of November 1916 Notes; 10th March 1915 letter to Masonic lodge with HM Forces India, 8th September 1915 Visited Lodge in Bangalore Iam trying to piece together what he was doing out there. He claimed A 1914/15 Star however the claim was rejected in 1921. Was this due to the star not being issued to this Theatre? What was his regiment doing in india? Type of guns he would have been manning? there is also a treatment record with dates on it. Was this Malaria tablets he was taking? Any help would be greatly appreciated. it a tricky one for me to get my head around. Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Porter Posted 13 August , 2018 Share Posted 13 August , 2018 37 minutes ago, Sjack91 said: What was his regiment doing in india? They were sent there to allow regular brigades to be sent to France and Mesopotamia. In order to make up the numbers some members of Lowland Division were transferred on December 9, 1914 The 2/3rd Devonshire Battery (2 Officers 140 Other Ranks on "SS Saturnia") arrived at Bombay on January 8, 1915. They would not be entitled to a 1914-15 Star as they were not in a war zone 2/3rd or 7th Wessex Brigade, RFA (TF) was renamed 227th Brigade RFA on June 19, 1916. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sjack91 Posted 13 August , 2018 Author Share Posted 13 August , 2018 David Thank you for this important information. Would I be right to say that the Indian army were better trained/ experienced therefore they were regarded as more resourceful to the war in France/Belgium and elsewhere? What kind of non fighting duties would he be involved in? Thank you again for this Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 13 August , 2018 Share Posted 13 August , 2018 1 hour ago, Sjack91 said: Would I be right to say that the Indian army were better trained/ experienced The problem was more that Kitchener had a big anti the Territorial Army and did not feel them fit for the front line. They subsequently proved how wrong he was, on a number of fronts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaureenE Posted 13 August , 2018 Share Posted 13 August , 2018 The FIBIS Fibiwiki has a section on the page First World War called, British Army Territorial Force troops in India, including links to some online books. https://wiki.fibis.org/w/First_World_War#British_Army_Territorial_Force_troops_in_India Cheers Maureen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sjack91 Posted 14 August , 2018 Author Share Posted 14 August , 2018 Thank you everyone for the amazing information. It has been a huge help to my research. Thank you Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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