KHUDA BAKHSH from BAHAWALPUR

[Sgt Stripes]

Hi. Just wondering if it anyone could tell me where the Bahawalpur Transport Corps operated in WW1 also the name and number of the soldier I am researching is 737 SILR KHUDA BAKHSH who was awarded the BAHAWALPUR 1914-18 WAR STAR. Does anyone know what rank SILR is. Thank you 

[Mark1959]

Have a look 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahawalpur_Regiment

Usual caution re wiki entries.

The WW1 section refers to the Bahawalpur Camel Transport Corps.

[Steven Broomfield]

According to Tony McClenaghan's For the For the Honour of my House (Helion, 2019), 100 pack camels and 38 men under Risaldar Tara Singh went to  British East Africa in February 1915, returning to India in November after most of the camels had died.

 

Another, larger, detachment, arrived in the Basra area of Mesopotamia in early 1915 with the 6th Poona Division. They seemed not to have stayed there long, but in 1917 (24th May), 849 camels with 324 officers and men joined the South Waziristan Field Force; they should have gone to Mespot, but government inefficiency resulted in government troops going instead. They returned to their State in January 1918.

 

The regiment received the Battle Honours 'NW Frontier India, 1917' and 'Baluchistan 1918'

 

No idea what SILR means. The only thing I can think is 'Silladar', but that's not a rank so I couldn't see why it would be on a medal. It is definitely SILR?

[FROGSMILE]

I think that is a good call by Steven and that it probably does stand for Silladar.  In the simplest terms it refers to a ‘freelancer’, which would fit with the role of an ordinary peon in a transport corps.  Interestingly the British Army recruited in a very similar way to create the logistical trains that supported the various columns that advanced into Zululand in 1879.  It’s a very typical, financially driven British compromise policy.

Edited 24 January , 2020 by FROGSMILE

[Steven Broomfield]

27 minutes ago, FROGSMILE said:

I think that is a good call by Steven and that it probably does stand for Silladar.  In the simplest terms it refers to a ‘freelancer’, which would fit with the role of an ordinary peon in a transport corps.  Interestingly the British Army recruited in a very similar way to create the logistical trains that supported the various columns that advanced into Zululand in 1879.  It’s a very typical, financially driven British compromise policy.

 

I've just checked another reference, by the same author mentioned above (plus Richard Head - The Maharajas' Paltans), and the corps was a silladar unit. Basically, the men provided their own kit - in extreme cases, they supplied the camel as well. Generally, regimental funds covered everything in exchange for a sort of deposit from the man. That makes 'Silladar' most sensible: not a rank the regular Indian Army used but for States Forces, quite likely.

 

The thing to remember is that these were essentially the private armies of quasi-independent States, so many of the arrangements were subtly different from the government-run army. The various rulers of the States were pretty keen to show loyalty to the Raj by offering their forces to serve under British control.

 

Out of interest, Bahawalpur joined Pakistan in 1947 and the infantry component of the State's Forces form battalions of the Baloch Regiment which gives a clue as to it's geographic location close to Balochistan.

[Sgt Stripes]

Fantastic and interesting information. Thank you both 

[Steven Broomfield]

If anyone is interested, THIS is an attempt at explaining what the Silladar system was. Obviously this is geared towards Indian Army cavalry, but I suppose the States Forces worked pretty much the same. Have camel, will travel.

 

(11 years ago. I had hardly any grey hairs then)

[Sgt Stripes]

Well done Steven. That is superb and explains the Silladar system really well. Something I really did know no about. Would they have been entitled to British war medals. 

[Steven Broomfield]

18 minutes ago, Sgt Stripes said:

Well done Steven. That is superb and explains the Silladar system really well. Something I really did know no about. Would they have been entitled to British war medals. 

 

Yes. All the regiments were established in the Indian Army; merely the terms of enlistment of silladar cavalry were slightly different. I believe men of the States Forces serving the King Emperor also qualified.

[FROGSMILE]

We have both posted about the Silladar system on the old Victorian Wars Forum, Steven.  In this case I think it is meant as a status rather than a rank.  Silladar really indicates specific terms and conditions of service and a man could still hold the rank of say Naik, whilst at the same time being a Sillladar.  Presumably for these forces the term Silladar was used on the medal’s rim to clearly differentiate from regular Indian forces, regardless of rank.

Edited 24 January , 2020 by FROGSMILE