George Ernest White (Supply & Transport Corps) and the 30th Indian Infantry Bde

[ddycher]

All

Am struggling to make a definitive connection between the above George White and the 30th Indian Infantry Bde. I believe George White, an Asst. Commissary at Ranikhet when war was declared, was appointed to Bde Supply and Transport Officer (BS&TO) of the 30th Bde on its forming; probably on the 28th October 1914. Although I have a reasonable biography of George White I can not find a defining ref. placing him as the Bde's first BS&TO. Closest I have is a 10th Ind. Div. OOB stating the BS&TO was a "Lieut. C. E. White". I believe it is a typo in the original however details on Melliss's Bde are hard to come by. Does anyone have any ref's to the forming of the Bde or its time in Egypt.

Would be very grateful for any pointers here.

Regards

Dave

[ddycher]

George White’s granddaughter believes he was at Kut which males him a more likely candidate for the BS&TO..

regards

Dave 

[charlie962]

 

8 hours ago, ddycher said:

George White’s granddaughter believes he was at Kut which males him a more likely candidate for the BS&TO..

Lt G E White S&T Corps was indeed taken prisoner at the surrender of the Kut Garrison 29/4/16

Charlie

[charlie962]

ICRC Card

[charlie962]

FindmyPast say his record is at British Library?

First name(s)	George Ernest
End date	1948
Last name	White
Date range	1889-1948
Rank	Comm (Maj)
Record reference	IOR/L/MIL/14/30521
Year	1889-1948
Scope and content	Highest Rank: Comm (Maj); Regiment: S T C; Date of commission: 11 Oct 1889
Regiment	Supply & Transport Corps
Country	India
Regiment as transcribed	S T C
Record set	Indian Army Records Of Service 1900-1947
Collection area	India Office Records and Private Papers
Category	Military, armed forces & conflict
Date of commission	11 Oct 1889
Subcategory	Regimental & Service Records
Start date	1889
Collections from	Great Britain, England

NOTE         MC at the defence of Kut-Al-Amara Dec 1915-Apr 1916.

Edited 30 November , 2021 by charlie962

[charlie962]

He has an impresive War Services record, going back to 1888. Born in 1863 he was lucky to survive captivity 1916-1918. Repatriated Dec 1918.

[ddycher]

Many thanks Charlie.

He is an interesting study. North West Frontier, Tirah, Somaliland, Egypt and Mesopotamia. Served briefly after being repatriated with the 7th Meerut Division before retiring at the end of 1919. Interesting that he was promoted both to Captain and Major whilst a POW. Hadn't come across that before.

Regards

Dave

[charlie962]

2 minutes ago, ddycher said:

He is an interesting study. North West Frontier, Tirah, Somaliland, Egypt and Mesopotamia

 Was he always Supply or did he do a 12yr stint with a line Regt like many others ?

[ddycher]

Charlie

Cant track him before the Commissariat Transport Department. Should have been able to locate him on either the Hazara or Isazai Medal Roles but cant find him. Still looking.

Regards

Dave

[charlie962]

12 minutes ago, ddycher said:

Still looking.

I had a search through Ancestry Rolls but apart from Africa GS 02/04 when he was Supply I found nothing suitable. Ancestry Indexing doesn't help because I've found an AfghanNWF 1919 described as Waterloo for one man !!

Because he was a Kut man I'd be very interested if there are any stories re his captivity or even a photo.

charlie

[charlie962]

On 28/11/2021 at 17:53, ddycher said:

Am struggling to make a definitive connection between the above George White and the 30th Indian Infantry Bde.

Having now read the War Diary of 30 Bde HQ I see HonLt G White STC is noted in Sept 1915 as being in charge of the 30 Brigade Supply Column. That matches perfectly with George Ernest White. Unfortunately there is no Supply Col War Diary that I can see for this Bde.

On 01/12/2021 at 14:53, ddycher said:

Interesting that he was promoted both to Captain and Major whilst a POW. Hadn't come across that before.

Lieutenant WC Spackman IMS put on a Captain's star whilst a Turkish PoW because he believed it was due on a "time" basis.

 

charlie

[ddycher]

Thanks Charlie

Happy now I have the right man. Now trying to track his pre-commissariat days and the date of his actual appointment to the 30th Bde. Many thanks for all your help here.

regards

Dave

[charlie962]

The India Office Library svc file I noted above- have you ever seen the detail of one of these sort of files? I hope it is not just the index that remains!

Charlie

[charlie962]

He must be on one of these medal rolls somewhere, surely. East Africa onwards we have seen but earlier??

Per IA List 1920

[ddycher]

Charlie

I know he was in the Commissariat Transport Dept by 1897. He was a Staff Sgt at the time. This only leaves the Hazara expedition of ‘88 and Isazai of 1892 to pin him down before the CTD.

Been through both. He is not there.

Regards

Dave

[ddycher]

Re his promotion during captivity. RC records him a Capt but the Gazette of India reported his capture as an Hon.Lieut. I have his gazette for his promotion to major from the Indian Army Lists but I have a gap for early ‘17 where he was apparently confirmed as a Capt.

Regards

Dave

 

[charlie962]

3 hours ago, ddycher said:

I have a gap for early ‘17 where he was apparently confirmed as a Capt.

LG of Jan 1920 has this as a catch-up:  (effective 17/5/1916, ie 3 wks after the surrender)

 

[ddycher]

How did you find that Charlie ? I must have searched the gazette a dozen times for him.

Many thanks.

Dave

[MaureenE]

Probably of no practical help, but he would appear in the Unattached List records at the British Library, listed on the FIBIS Fibiwiki page Unattached List

https://wiki.fibis.org/w/Unattached_List

Maureen

[ddycher]

Thanks Maureen. Some aspects there that I had not seen before.

regards

Dave

[Keith_history_buff]

I've details on another Supply & Transport Corps soldier to share.

Julius Ballin enlisted at Brwnmawr in the South Wales Borderers on 4 August 1894, service number 4663. Subsequently transferred to Supply and Transport Corps of the Indian Army. Married Frederike Louise Grethe née Gruhn in 1907. Awarded IGSM with "Abor 1911-12" clasp, with rank held of Sub-Conductor. Shown on Indian Army List as Assistant Commissary with rank of Lieutenant effective 1 January 1916. Taken prisoner at Kut on 29 April 1916. Repatriated to India on 28 December 1918. Died on 17 July 1939.

There are some specifics about his war service on the medal roll itself.
@charlie962 thought you may find this of interest.

His oppo Charles Milwright enlisted on 21 July 1894, also joined the Supply & Transport Corps, but was not at Kut. It looks like they had an opportunity to join the Indian Army whilst stationed on the subcontinent with the 1st Battalion South Wales Borderers.
 

[charlie962]

3 hours ago, Keith_history_buff said:

thought you may find this of interest.

Thanks. I have a couple of refs to Ballin. Are you looking for more info on his time in captivity? 

Charlie

[Keith_history_buff]

Hi there,
I came across him, and immediately thought of you and your interest in all matters Kut. Thanks for the reply, but I am not looking for any further research on this man.

I was especially surprised that he was on a War Office medal roll. I'd assumed his paperwork would have been dealt with by the India Office at the time.

[charlie962]

18 minutes ago, Keith_history_buff said:

surprised that he was on a War Office medal ro

Those Indian Army medal rolls on Ancestry can be very hit and miss but have been useful to me. I'm not sure on what basis they have survived to be copied by Ancestry.