Photograph- Staff College Quetta 1911

[Bob Davies]

On 10/02/2023 at 12:50, PRC said:

John Cecil Macrae, (19th Punjabis)

John Cecil Macrae DSC.  He appears on a number of Ancestry family trees. Originally Hampshire regiment.  Born 1 Sept 1881. Temp Lt Col 1917. picture courtesy Ancestry.

Edited 19 February , 2023 by Bob Davies

[Bob Davies]

However, he is not wearing 'red tabs'. It was always my assumption that Staff Officers wore 'red  tabs' on their epaulets. Some one may advise @FROGSMILE if I may call upon you expertise please?

[PRC]

I'm assuming that his "chin" is as a result of a mark on the picture - if not I'm not seeing a potential match in either the 1910 or 1911 photograph - and he should be present in both. Of course he could have had an accident in the intervening period.

Cheers,
Peter

[FROGSMILE]

1 hour ago, Bob Davies said:

However, he is not wearing 'red tabs'. It was always my assumption that Staff Officers wore 'red  tabs' on their epaulets. Some one may advise @FROGSMILE if I may call upon you expertise please?

Yes, from 1902 officers employed on the staff wore gorget tabs, the various colours laid down in regulations.

[Bob Davies]

11 hours ago, PRC said:

I'm assuming that his "chin" is as a result of a mark on the picture - if not I'm not seeing a potential match in either the 1910 or 1911 photograph - and he should be present in both. Of course he could have had an accident in the intervening period.

Cheers,
Peter

As the picture was taken from an ancestry tree, we should be aware that it might not be the man we seek as pictures are sometimes used erroneously. It only takes one person to find and post a picture of a 'Colonel Macrae' and others will follow in hope!  Bear in mind what we found with regard to pictures of Digby Inglish Shuttleworth. There are a number of Officers serving at this time with the same name, spelt in various ways, albeit with different initials and ranks.   From Harts list 1911 (courtesy Nat Lib Scotland) Uniform scarlet, facings dark blue. Another clue is this man may have a connection to The Orkney Isles.

 

10 hours ago, FROGSMILE said:

Yes, from 1902 officers employed on the staff wore gorget tabs, the various colours laid down in regulations.

Thank you FROGSMILE, as above I wonder if this is a picture of the man we seek? Harts list he served at Aden 1903-04.

Edited 20 February , 2023 by Bob Davies

[FROGSMILE]

4 minutes ago, Bob Davies said:

As the picture was taken from an ancestry tree, we should be aware that it might not be the man we seek as pictures are sometimes used erroneously. Bear in mind what we found with regard to pictures of Digby Inglish Shuttleworth. There are a number of Officers serving at this time with the same name, spelt in various ways.   From Harts list 1911 (courtesy Nat Lib Scotland) Uniform scarlet, facings dark blue. Another clue is this man may have a connection to The Orkney Isles.

 

Thank you FROGSMILE, as above I wonder if this is a picture of the man we seek? Harts list he served at Aden 1903-04.

From what you’ve said the jury must be out regarding whether it’s him, or not.  I suppose we’d need to see additional corroborative photos of him.

[PRC]

Captain Meredith Ashton Hamer, 129th D.C.O. Ballochi’s.

1909 entrant & 1911 graduate so should only appear on the 1910 picture.

(MiC as Major M.A. Hamer, 129th Baluchi Infantry, Staff and Headquarters).

Commanded 2nd Battalion, 125th Napiers Rifles from it’s creation in June 1918, being appointed from the 129th Baluchis on the 1st August 1918. “Hamer was a career Indian Army officer who had served with distinction first as Staff Captain and then as Brigade Major of the Bareilly Brigade, 7th (Meerut) Division on the Western Front and in Mesopotamia. “ https://www.researchingww1.co.uk/2nd-battalion-125th-rifles

In the 1911 picture of him back with his regiment there are no medal ribbons on display.

On that basis my nomination from the 1910 Staff College photograph is Officer 12.

Picture source

This GWF forum thread, image supplied by forum member @seaforth78.

(No new IP was created in producing the above and all image rights remain with the current owners).

Cheers,
Peter

[FROGSMILE]

1 hour ago, PRC said:

Captain Meredith Ashton Hamer, 129th D.C.O. Ballochi’s.

1909 entrant & 1911 graduate so should only appear on the 1910 picture.

(MiC as Major M.A. Hamer, 129th Baluchi Infantry, Staff and Headquarters).

Commanded 2nd Battalion, 125th Napiers Rifles from it’s creation in June 1918, being appointed from the 129th Baluchis on the 1st August 1918. “Hamer was a career Indian Army officer who had served with distinction first as Staff Captain and then as Brigade Major of the Bareilly Brigade, 7th (Meerut) Division on the Western Front and in Mesopotamia. “ https://www.researchingww1.co.uk/2nd-battalion-125th-rifles

In the 1911 picture of him back with his regiment there are no medal ribbons on display.

On that basis my nomination from the 1910 Staff College photograph is Officer 12.

Picture source

This GWF forum thread, image supplied by forum member @seaforth78.

(No new IP was created in producing the above and all image rights remain with the current owners).

Cheers,
Peter

Another good match by you Peter, and his appearance in the 1910 photo chimes with the regiment’s rifle green tunic and pouch belt plate with single honour scrolls above and below.  Unfortunately I’ve not been able to find an image of one.  The Baluchi’s were a tough martial race and in order to give them a dress identity they were allocated loose fitting red bloomer type trousers.  

Edited 20 February , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[PRC]

Captain James Atkinson Longridge, (1875-1916) Supply and Transport Corps.

1909 entrant & 1911 graduate so should only appear on the 1910 picture.

(MiCs for Lieutenant Colonel J.A. Longridge, 43rd Erinpura Regiment and General Headquarters Staff).

Killed in action as a Staff Officer with the 1st Division in France on the 18th August 1916, aged 41. Apparently he has an obituary in his school magazine, The Malvernian, in December 1916. Sourced from a very mugh bigger piece on his life and the circumstances of his death here :- https://opusculum.wordpress.com/2021/08/18/lieutenant-colonel-james-atkinson-longridge-43rd-erinpura-regiment/

The Malvern College link in turn provided an undated picture. It summarises his Army career as “R.M.C. Sandhurst; passed out 2nd; West Surrey Regt. 1895;
Indian Army 1897; Major 1913; Assistant Secretary Imperial Defence Committee; China 1900, Despatches, Medal; Somaliland, 1903-04, Despatches, Medal with 2 Clasps.
Great War, G.S.O. Indian Expeditionary Force, C.M.G .(Companion of St Michael & St George)., Brevet Lieut.-Colon.” http://www.stanwardine.com/cgi-bin/malvernww1.pl?id=259

My nomination from the 1910 Staff College photograph is Officer 20. That’s based not just on facial similarity, but collar pattern and badge shape \ position, sash, and even the three medals on display.

Picture source.

Malvern College. http://www.stanwardine.com/malvernww1/pdf/MalvROHLongridge_JA.pdf

(No new IP was created in producing the above and all image rights remain with the current owners).

Cheers,
Peter

[FROGSMILE]

1 hour ago, PRC said:

Captain James Atkinson Longridge, (1875-1916) Supply and Transport Corps.

1909 entrant & 1911 graduate so should only appear on the 1910 picture.

(MiCs for Lieutenant Colonel J.A. Longridge, 43rd Erinpura Regiment and General Headquarters Staff).

Killed in action as a Staff Officer with the 1st Division in France on the 18th August 1916, aged 41. Apparently he has an obituary in his school magazine, The Malvernian, in December 1916. Sourced from a very mugh bigger piece on his life and the circumstances of his death here :- https://opusculum.wordpress.com/2021/08/18/lieutenant-colonel-james-atkinson-longridge-43rd-erinpura-regiment/

The Malvern College link in turn provided an undated picture. It summarises his Army career as “R.M.C. Sandhurst; passed out 2nd; West Surrey Regt. 1895;
Indian Army 1897; Major 1913; Assistant Secretary Imperial Defence Committee; China 1900, Despatches, Medal; Somaliland, 1903-04, Despatches, Medal with 2 Clasps.
Great War, G.S.O. Indian Expeditionary Force, C.M.G .(Companion of St Michael & St George)., Brevet Lieut.-Colon.” http://www.stanwardine.com/cgi-bin/malvernww1.pl?id=259

My nomination from the 1910 Staff College photograph is Officer 20. That’s based not just on facial similarity, but collar pattern and badge shape \ position, sash, and even the three medals on display.

Picture source.

Malvern College. http://www.stanwardine.com/malvernww1/pdf/MalvROHLongridge_JA.pdf

(No new IP was created in producing the above and all image rights remain with the current owners).

Cheers,
Peter

That’s him alright Peter.  You are achieving an amazing success rate with these two photographs.  I think it helps with the ID that they’re not all in khaki drab service dress, and also wearing some distinctive insignia.  The ‘light’ in the centre of his waistbelt and his pouch belt is blue.

Edited 20 February , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[PRC]

First summary of the 1910-1911 Staff College photo, owner @JAH1979 :-

[Numbers in square brackets are the same officer on the 1911 picture].

1: Probably Francis William Loveday, 75th Company, RGA (China 1900 Medal and Queen’s Medal with one clasp). One of the 1910 entrants.  Survived the war only to die of influenza in the UK in 1919.[26]
2: Probably Basil Edwin Crockett, 17th Lancers. One of the 1910 entrants.  He commanded the 11^th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment in the Great War.[4]
3: David Graeme Ridgeway, 3^rd Q.A.O. Goorkha Rifles (MiC for Staff Captain D.G. Ridgeway, 3^rd Gurkhas). 1914 Harts give us David Graeme Ridgeway, Bedford Regiment, 2^nd Bn, 3^rd Goorkha Regiment and Brigade Major. Sirkind Brigade.
4: Not sure there is a match for the 1911 photo. Native Infantry.
5: John Gwynne Griffith, 32nd Lancers. As Major, 32nd Lancers and staff of the 9th Cavalry Brigade, died on the 24th May 1915, aged 40, killed in action.
6: Digby Inglis Shuttleworth, 3^rd Q.A.O. Goorkha Rifles. (MiCs for a D.F and D.J. Shuttleworth, Staff Major and Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel)
7: Possibly Patrick Sinclair Stoney, 26^th Punjabis (MiC as Major P.S Stoney 26^th Punjabi’s).
8: William Henry Bartholomew, Royal Field Artillery, (MiC for a Brigadier General William Henry Bartholomew, Royal Field Artillery. Landed France 14^th August 1914 as Major and G.S.O. 3, General Headquarters, 1^st Echelon).
9: Probably Thomas George Jameson Torrie, 27th Light Cavalry. One of the 1910 entrants.  Subsequently 2^nd Life Guards. Killed in Action 18^th November 1916 while attached 7^th Battalion East Lancashire Regiment. [41]
10. Hugh Hill, M.V.O., Royal Welsh Fusiliers.
11. Walter Lloyd Sinclair Meiklejohn, 106th Hazara Pioneers. One of the 1910 entrants.[28]
12. Probably Meredith Ashton Hamer, 129^th D.C.O. Ballochi’s. (MiC as Major M.A. Hamer, 129^th Baluchi Infanry, Staff and Headquarters).
13. Gerard Maxwell Glynton, 3^rd Q.A.O. Goorkha Rifles (MiCs for Major & Staff Captain Gerard Maxwell Glynton, 2/3^rd Gurkha Rifles and Lieutenant Colonel 12^th Indian Infantry Brigade).
14. An officer who is currently believed to be either 32^nd or 34^th Sikh Pioneers on the 1911 Picture. However we now know he is very likely to be a 1910 entrant, which narrows things down – possibly Arthur Charles Samuel Burdon Ellis, 121^st Pioneers needs another look.[47]
15: Native cavalry? As a 1910 entrant that shifts the focus to John Arthur Muirhead, 1st Duke of York's Own Lancers (Skinner's Horse) as a possibility.[25]
16. Probably C.M. Wagstaff, Royal Engineers (MiC - Brig. Gen Sir Cyril Mosley Wagstaff). 1909 Entrant.
17. Cyril Norman MacMullen, 15th Ludhiana Sikhs.[45]
18. Gurkha ? No Medal. Possibly also 9th Gurkha Rifles, who favoured a Rifle Brigade style pouch belt badge of the pattern with a ‘Guelphic crown’.  However, could be Garwhal Rifle Regiment as insignia very similar. As a 1910 entrant that puts John Harvey de Wiederhold Carruthers, 1st Bn 39th Garwhal Rifles and William Campbell Little, 1st Bn 6th Gurkha Rifles in the frame. [27]
19. Infantry? One medal – with clasp(s)? As a 1910 entrant previously unaccounted for I believe that narrows us down to John Cecil Macrae, (19^th Punjabis),  Laurence Balfour Cloete, (37th Dogras) and Edgar Claude Kensington, (130th Prince of Wales' Own Baluchis) – I’ll take the two unaccounted Gurkha Officers out of consideration and we have a contender for Carruthers or the Garwhal Rifles against number 18.[36]
20. James Atkinson Longridge, Supply and Transport Corps. (MiCs for Lieutenant Colonel J.A. Longridge, 43^rd Erinpura Regiment and General Headquarters Staff).
21. Not sure there is a match for the 1911 photo. Infantry?
22. Walter Joseph Maxwell-Scott, Scottish Rifles – (MiC - Brig.Gen Walter Joseph Maxwell- Scott ex Scottish Rifles – also recorded as Major General Sir Walter J. Constable-Maxwell-Scott)
23. Not sure there is a match for the 1911 photo. Native Infantry.
24. Herbert Edmund Reginald Rubens Braine, Royal Munster Fusiliers. Medal entitlement QM + 4 clasps and India GS Medal with clasp  (Mohmand 1908). 
25. Not sure there is a match for the 1911 photo. Native Cavalry.
26. Possibly Walter Mervyn St George Kirke, 59th Company, RGA [44]
27. Possibly George Hutchison, 122nd Rajputana Infantry. China 1900 Medal.[42]
28. Probably Oswald Arthur Gerald Fitgerald, 18^th K.G.O. Lancers. 1909 entrant.
29. David Campbell Crombie, 23rd Cavalry (MiC for Major David Campbell Crombie, 23rd Cavalry & 28th Cavalry, Poona Division.).
30. Probably Arthur William Hamilton May Moens, 52nd Sikhs (F.F.). Uniform is Native Infantry. Frogsmile - a regiment styled as rifles, and possibly Corps of Guides infantry, but I’m unsure.[15]
31. Harold Hereward Hughes-Hallett, 2nd North Staffs. One of the 1910 entrants.[40]
32. Harold Lewis, 37th Lancers (Baluch Horse). NW Frontier of India medal+clasp [35]
33. Infantry. No medals? This might be 1st Prince of Wales’s Own Gurkha Rifles.  Another possibility is a 130th King George's Own Baluchis that also featured PoW feathers.  The former seems closer but the scroll under the badge doesn’t chime. 1910 entrant.[43]
34. Not sure there is a match for the 1911 photo. Infantry?
35. Bertram Hewett Hunter Cooke, Rifle Brigade (MiC - Brigadier General B.H.H. Cooke, C.M.G & D.S.O. Numerous staff positions listed on MiC.) Served with the RAF from its founding.
36. Major Berkeley Vincent, 6^th Dragoons
37. Theodore Fraser, R.E. (College Staff). [57]
38. Henry Dowrish Drake, Royal Marine Artillery (College Staff) [56]
39. College Commandant Thompson Capper
40. Possibly George McKenzie Franks, Royal Artillery (College Staff). [58]
41. Probably Alexander Montagu Spears Elsmie, 56th Punjab Rifles, (College Staff). [50]
42. Matthew Percival Buckle , RWKR. [51]
43. Probably James Farquhar, 19th Battery, RFA (Queen’s medal with 2 clasps and African General Service Medal with two clasps). Definitely RA, as evidenced by plain gold laced pouch belt.[3]
44. Henry Clare Duncan, 1st Battalion, 9th Gurkha Rifles.[29]
45. Francis John Joslin, 2nd Royal West Kent Regiment.[30]
46. Not sure there is a match for the 1911 photo. ???
47. Francis Duncan Irvine, 2nd Queen's Own Sappers & Miners. [9]
48. Joseph Robert Wethered, Gloucestershire Regiment. (MiC - Brevet Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Robert Wethered, 14^th Infantry Brigade Staff Major, Captain Gloucestershire Regiment, C.M.G & D.S.O.)
49. Gerald Farrell Boyd DSO, 2nd Leinster. [34]
50. Not sure there is a match for the 1911 photo. Native Infantry
51. Not sure there is a match for the 1911 photo. Native Infantry.
52. Possibly Eric Fairweather Harrison, Royal Australian Garrison Artillery. [46]
53. Not sure there is a match for the 1911 photo. ???
54. Gurkha ? No Medal. 1910 entrant. Possibly also 9th Gurkha Rifles, who favoured a Rifle Brigade style pouch belt badge of the pattern with a ‘Guelphic crown’.  However, could be Garwhal Rifle Regiment as insignia very similar.[27]
55. Francis Hamilton Moore, 2nd Berkshire, (the bullion Chinese collar dragon is clear).[19]

Of the 55 officers photographed we have a strong or definate candidate for 40 of them

Outstanding names

All Captains.

1909 Intake.

Ernest George Dunn, Royal Irish Rifles (MiC - Major Ernest George Dunn, Poona Division & Royal Irish Rifles.)

Esme Cosmo William Conway-Gordon, 3^rd Skinners Horse (MiCs for MiD Indian Army Staff Major E.C.W. Conway-Gordon, Skinners House). Lives of the First World War as Esme Cosmo William Conway-Gordon. https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/5378211

William Marshall Fordham, 20^th D.C.O. Infantry, (2 x MiC for a Lieutenant-Colonel W.M. Fordham, one as 20^th Infantry and the other serving with the 20^th D C O Infantry, Indian Army).

Michael George Dobbie Rowlandson Rowlandson, 38^th Dogras. (MICs as Brigade Major and Brevet Lieutenant Colonel 15^th Indian Infantry Brigade M.G.D. Rowlandson.) Army List as Michael George Dobbie Rowlandson.

Frederick Stewart Keen, 45^th Rattray’s Sikhs. (MIC as Temporary Lieutenant-Colonel and Staff Major F.S. Keen, D.S.O., 45^th Sikhs). Single picture found but face obscured by a watermark.

Alfred Hearst Wynn Elias, 1^st K.G.O. Goorkha Rifles (MiC for Major A.H.W. Elias-Wynn, 2/1^st Gurkhas serving with the RAF as Lieutenant-Colonel).Subsequently Group Captain RAF.

1910 Intake

John Arthur Muirhead, 1st Duke of York's Own Lancers (Skinner's Horse)
John Cecil Macrae, 19th Punjabis - a possible picture but it may have been mis-identifird.
Laurence Balfour Cloete, 37th Dogras
Arthur Charles Samuel Burdon Ellis, 121st Pioneers
Edgar Claude Kensington, 130th Prince of Wales' Own Baluchis
William Campbell Little, 1st Bn 6th Gurkha Rifles – Picture available but no obvious match on the Quetta Staff College photograph. The 1914 Annual Army List only has him eligible for the NW Frontier of India, Waziristan , 1901-2 medal with clasp.

Cheers,
Peter

Edited 20 February , 2023 by PRC
Add picture for ease of reference

[Bob Davies]

3 hours ago, PRC said:

Michael George Dobbie Rowlandson Rowlandson, 38^th Dogras. (MICs as Brigade Major and Brevet Lieutenant Colonel 15^th Indian Infantry Brigade M.G.D. Rowlandson.) Army List as Michael George Dobbie Rowlandson.

Hello Peter you have done a magnificent job sorting this lot out, hats off to you Sir! I have drawn a blank on all the above who are missing a photo to compare them with. However I will persevere for the meanwhile. Cloete Unattached list. (Guernsey connection has an interesting history, his father was Lt Gen Josias Gordon Cloete, Madras Army. One of the Presidency Armies  ( @FROGSMILE history teacher thank you!)  Courtesy Fold 3 for Rowlandson here N Russian force may hold a clue?;

[Bob Davies]

4 hours ago, PRC said:

Frederick Stewart Keen, 45^th Rattray’s Sikhs.

Supposedly  a picture of our man. Courtesy Ancestry.and Fold 3

Edited 20 February , 2023 by Bob Davies

[PRC]

Captain Michael George Dobbie Rowlandson, 38^th Dogras.

1909 entrant & 1911 graduate so should only appear on the 1910 picture.

(MICs as Brigade Major and Brevet Lieutenant Colonel 15^th Indian Infantry Brigade M.G.D. Rowlandson.)

1904 Edition of the Charterhouse Register.

Born 3^rd August 1878. (Robinites-Bodeites): Junior & Senior Scholar; Left C.Q., 1896. – Attached to Gordon Highlanders, 1898; joined 30^th Punjab Infantry, 1899; 38^th Dogra Infantry, 1900; served in Mahsud Waziri Blockade Operations, 1900.
Address Eden House, St. Brelade’s, Jersey. https://archive.org/details/b28992027/page/386/mode/2up?q=Michael+George+Dobbie+Rowlandson

A family history site for the Hatchard-Smith family records that Violet May Hatchard-Smith (1880-1972) married Michael George Dobbie Rowlandson, a Lieutenant in the Indian Army, on the 20^th October 1906.

The 1911 Census records Violet in Budleigh Salterton, but at “The Glen” and listed as “Wife, Husband in India”. Living with her were 2 year old son Michael (whose birth was registered in Epsom Q1 1909 so she was probably at her parents’ Charlwood” for this) and 6 month old son Jack, who had been born in Quetta, India on 24 September 1910, together with a domestic nurse.

(My highlight)

It is not clear when or for how long Violet subsequently returned to India. She was certainly back in the UK by late 1917 (and presumably with her parents at “Charlwood”) for the birth of her daughter Violet, registered in Epsom Q4 1917.

In the meantime, her husband’s 82nd Punjabis, an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army, had in January 1916 been redeployed from India’s then North West Frontier to Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq), where they were engaged in much fierce fighting. During all this, Michael junior gained the rank of Major, was appointed Commander, Order of the British Empire (CBE) and, on 4 September 1918 was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO).

By 1921, the local Electoral Roll shows that both Violet and Michael junior (doubtless with their children) were living at “Wildflowers” (pictured below), Budleigh Salterton. The house had been built for them to the design of Violet’s architect brother, William, who was by now in partnership with their father. Inspired by the international Arts and Crafts design movement, it was the first of some fifty much sought-after “Hatchard-Smith” houses in the area that were developed from the office that “J Hatchard-Smith & Son” opened in Budleigh Salterton.

The September 1939 Register records Violet and Michael still at “Wildflowers”. 61 year old Michael is listed as “Army Colonel Retired Russian Interpreter” (with the original annotated to add “District Organiser ARP Budleigh Salterton”) and 59 year old Violet with the conventional “Unpaid Domestic Duties”.

Michael died at “Wildflowers” in Q2 1957, aged 78. https://eehe.org.uk/?p=33296

1 hour ago, Bob Davies said:

Courtesy Fold 3 for Rowlandson here N Russian force may hold a clue?;

All of that had left me with no leads on a picture. The North Russian Force was it seemed a dead end. But looking again at his earlier GSO postings, he had served as part of the Expeditionary Force Headquarters in Mesopotamia. The Imperial War Museum does have a picture of the Theatre Commander, Lieutenant General Sir Frederick Maude and his staff, dated to 1917. Among the individuals listed as being present was a Lieutenant Colonel Rowlandson – a man wearing two medal ribbons.

So my nomination for a match in the 1910 Staff College Picture is Officer 38. Edit 34.

 

Picture Source.

IWM Reference Q 25732 Lieutenant-General Sir Frederick Stanley Maude (GOC-in-C Mesopotamia August 1916 - 18 November 1917) with British staff officers and Russian officers from their army in Persia. The officers are (l to r): Back row - General Hopwood, Lieutenant Colonel Rowlandson, Brigadier-General W H Beach; front row - General Sir Arthur Money, Colonel Rajhanov, Lieutenant-General Sir Frederick Maude, Captain Tenakov. https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205129111

Michael Rowlandson isn’t the only 38^th Dogras officer we’ve had cause to look at over the two staff college pictures. The 1911 picture had Richard Hope Waller from that Regiment. Looking at their uniform details gives a strong hint that they are from the same Regiment.

 

 

(No new IP was created in producing the above and all image rights remain with the current owners).

Cheers,
Peter

Edited 20 February , 2023 by PRC
Typo

[Bob Davies]

10 minutes ago, PRC said:

So my nomination for a match in the 1910 Staff College Picture is Officer 38.

I think you have him there Peter. Would more Fold 3 info for the others may help?

[Bob Davies]

5 hours ago, PRC said:

Edgar Claude Kensington

 

5 hours ago, PRC said:

John Arthur Muirhead

All of these courtesy of Fold 3.

Edited 20 February , 2023 by Bob Davies

[PRC]

20 minutes ago, Bob Davies said:

I think you have him there Peter.

Well I might have if I wrote the right number - it's Officer 34 as per the picture rather than 38 in the text. D'oh

22 minutes ago, Bob Davies said:

Would more Fold 3 info for the others may help?

Got to be worth a try - you never know what combination of search terms will suddenly unlock a gem.

1 hour ago, Bob Davies said:

Supposedly  a picture of our man. Courtesy Ancestry.and Fold 3

Not spotting any obvious match, but looks a bit older so may be some hair loss involved. Unfortunately not only is the younger picture of him as a Lieutenant have a watermark over his face, his headgear also distorts things.

Image courtesy https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/468796642444160377/

Captain Frederick Stewart Keen, 45th Rattray’s Sikhs.

His medals were sold through Spink. The catalogue description includes this mini-biography.

A long-served officer in the 45th (Rattray's) Sikhs, he witnessed active service on the North-West Frontier and in Uganda prior to playing a prominent role in the East Africa operations of 1914-16

The Most Honourable Order of the Bath (C.B.), Military Division, Companion's neck Badge, silver-gilt and enamel; Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., silver-gilt and enamel; India General Service 1895-1902, 2 clasps, Punjab Frontier 1897-98, Tirah 1897-98 (Lieut. F. S. Keen, 45th Sikhs); East and Central Africa 1897-99, 2 clasps, Uganda 1899, 1898 (Lt. F. S. Keen, 1/Uganda Rif.); 1914-15 Star (Major F. S. Keen, 45/Rattray's Sikhs); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Lt. Col. F. S. Keen); India General Service 1908-35, 1 clasp, Waziristan 1919-21 (Lt. Col. F. S. Keen, 2-15 Sikhs), mounted court-style as worn by Ranken & Co. of Calcutta, where applicable, generally very fine (8)

C.B. London Gazette 3 July 1926.

D.S.O. London Gazette 14 January 1916.

Frederick Stewart Keen was born on 22 June 1874, the third son of Colonel Sir Frederick John Keen, K.C.B. Educated at Haileybury and Sandhurst, he was attached as a subaltern to the Royal Welsh Fusiliers in 1894, prior to being appointed to the 45th (Rattray's) Sikhs in the following year.

Having then witnessed active service with the Tirah Field Force in the Bara Valley operations of 1897-98 (Medal & 2 clasps), he was seconded for service in East Africa.

Arriving in Mombasa in March 1898, he took command of a company of the Uganda Rifles at Kismayu that July. He was subsequently actively employed in the Ogaden Expeditionary Force in Uganda until October of the same year (Medal & clasp). And was likewise actively employed during the 3rd Nandi Expedition in May-October 1900 (2nd clasp).

Keen departed Mombasa for India in May 1901 and became a Political Officer after being advanced to Captain in early 1903. It was in this capacity that he was mentioned in despatches for his supporting work in respect of operations on the North-West Frontier (London Gazette 14 August 1908, refers).

Having then graduated from the Staff College, Quetta in the class of 1909-10, he was advanced to Major in Rattray's Sikhs in January 1912. And it was in this capacity that he first saw action in the Great War, albeit on attachment to the Indian Expeditionary Force sent to the defence of British East Africa in late 1914.

In January 1916 he delivered a lecture at Simla - 'The Campaign in East Africa'; a copy of his talk was subsequently published in the Journal of the United Service Institute of India and it makes for fascinating reading. The challenges of a determined enemy were one thing, but, as Keen was to relate, other local inhabitants were of equal concern:

'Apart from the active and enterprising foe, wild beasts frequently gave our patrols a lively time. Mounted parties had great difficulty in preventing their animals from being stampeded at night by prowling lions, and many a patrol was charged by rhinoceros. On one occasion a rhino charged alternately a British and a German patrol who were skirmishing north of the Tsavo river, and finally assaulted some Masai who were watching the contest and awaiting the result, killing one of them. Both patrols and the Masai retired, leaving the rhino in charge of the field … '

In concluding his lecture, Keen referred to the Germans as having - on the whole - 'played the game':

'I saw German doctors and nurses in Tanga hospital treating out wounded, black and white, just the same as our own. There were unfortunately instances of our wounded being shot by askaris, but there were also numerous instances where German officers saved our wounded from their own askaris.'

In addition to his award of the D.S.O., Keen was also mentioned in despatches for operations in the East Africa Force (London Gazette 30 June 1916, refers); such had been the prominence of his role in the campaign that he was invited to contribute to the official history of the campaign in the early 1930s.

Re-united with Rattray's Sikhs, Keen went on to witness further active service in Mesopotamia, gaining at least two further "mentions" (London Gazette 21 February and 5 June 1919, refer), in addition to participation in the Waziristan operations of 1921-22, as C.O. of the 15th Sikhs (Medal & clasp).

Latterly Commandant of the Small Arms School in India, he was placed on the Retired List in 1926, the same year in he was awarded the C.B. The Colonel settled at Seaton, Devon and died in August 1949. https://spink.com/lot/21001000339

So looks like he had two medals , both with clasps, by the time of the 1910 picture.They weill probably be the ones second and third from the left in the picture you found on Ancestry.

Can you spot any likely candidates in the 1910 picture?

Cheers,
Peter

[Bob Davies]

22 hours ago, PRC said:

Can you spot any likely candidates in the 1910 picture?

I will have a look! Fordham here; Edit @PRC Something more on W M Fordham I found earlier following the Military Attache route.  Courtesy Google books;https://books.google.ie/books?id=2yEgAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA343&lpg=PA343&dq=W+M+fordham+the+british+legation+tehran+1911&source=bl&ots=YOZqbLaCer&sig=ACfU3U3zmzfz4ZEzAafZvQgLG5Hhq6Dcxg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjzsIeAkKf9AhUQWcAKHXu_AyEQ6AF6BAgkEAM#v=onepage&q=W M fordham the british legation tehran 1911&f=false

Edited 21 February , 2023 by Bob Davies

[Bob Davies]

6 hours ago, PRC said:

21. Not sure there is a match for the 1911 photo. Infantry?

21 Looks to be Scarlet with White Facing, so I think possibly Captain Frederick Stewart Keen, 45th Rattray’s Sikhs. There might be collar badges, it is a bit small to see. However on this picture below he has dark facings on His collar so maybe 53. I am now unsure of what white Facing means. Edit; Collar and cuffs I am sure are areas that have a 'facing' colour. The Officer below looks to have a dark facing on his collar with a lighter 'piping'. Difficult to tell what colours though but they are not white.

Edited 21 February , 2023 by Bob Davies

[PRC]

10 hours ago, Bob Davies said:

21 Looks to be Scarlet with White Facing, so I think possibly Captain Frederick Stewart Keen, 45th Rattray’s Sikhs. There might be collar badges, it is a bit small to see. However on this picture below he has dark facings on His collar so maybe 53.

Actually 21 may be a good call. I believe facings includes the edging on the jacket beside the button holes. The Frederick Stewart Keen who attended the Indian Staff College between 1909-1911 already had two service medals with clasps. Officer 53 has no medals on display and I'm not seeing even a possible hint of medal ribbons. Squint and you could almost convince yourself that Officer 21 has medals that have clasps on.

As to the difference in the colour of the facings, given the vast expanse in the number of medals in display, this is obviously post-war. And looking back at the career resume I posted, he finished the war as the commanding officer of the 2/15th Sikhs - so the facings may reflect that. Having said which I too got hung on it last night when trying to identify an officer match and so rejected officer 21, (and others!).

None of the images available to make a comparison with are that great - I've tried to strike a balance in sizing so that enough detail remains visible without over-enlarging to a blur. However adding the low-resolution water-marked image of him into the mix as a young Lieutenant I think I can see some similarities facially, particularly with his right eye area - others may see differently

(No new IP was created in producing the above and all image rights remain with the current owners).

Cheers,
Peter

[FROGSMILE]

12 hours ago, PRC said:

Captain Michael George Dobbie Rowlandson, 38^th Dogras.

1909 entrant & 1911 graduate so should only appear on the 1910 picture.

(MICs as Brigade Major and Brevet Lieutenant Colonel 15^th Indian Infantry Brigade M.G.D. Rowlandson.)

1904 Edition of the Charterhouse Register.

Born 3^rd August 1878. (Robinites-Bodeites): Junior & Senior Scholar; Left C.Q., 1896. – Attached to Gordon Highlanders, 1898; joined 30^th Punjab Infantry, 1899; 38^th Dogra Infantry, 1900; served in Mahsud Waziri Blockade Operations, 1900.
Address Eden House, St. Brelade’s, Jersey. https://archive.org/details/b28992027/page/386/mode/2up?q=Michael+George+Dobbie+Rowlandson

A family history site for the Hatchard-Smith family records that Violet May Hatchard-Smith (1880-1972) married Michael George Dobbie Rowlandson, a Lieutenant in the Indian Army, on the 20^th October 1906.

The 1911 Census records Violet in Budleigh Salterton, but at “The Glen” and listed as “Wife, Husband in India”. Living with her were 2 year old son Michael (whose birth was registered in Epsom Q1 1909 so she was probably at her parents’ Charlwood” for this) and 6 month old son Jack, who had been born in Quetta, India on 24 September 1910, together with a domestic nurse.

(My highlight)

It is not clear when or for how long Violet subsequently returned to India. She was certainly back in the UK by late 1917 (and presumably with her parents at “Charlwood”) for the birth of her daughter Violet, registered in Epsom Q4 1917.

In the meantime, her husband’s 82nd Punjabis, an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army, had in January 1916 been redeployed from India’s then North West Frontier to Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq), where they were engaged in much fierce fighting. During all this, Michael junior gained the rank of Major, was appointed Commander, Order of the British Empire (CBE) and, on 4 September 1918 was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO).

By 1921, the local Electoral Roll shows that both Violet and Michael junior (doubtless with their children) were living at “Wildflowers” (pictured below), Budleigh Salterton. The house had been built for them to the design of Violet’s architect brother, William, who was by now in partnership with their father. Inspired by the international Arts and Crafts design movement, it was the first of some fifty much sought-after “Hatchard-Smith” houses in the area that were developed from the office that “J Hatchard-Smith & Son” opened in Budleigh Salterton.

The September 1939 Register records Violet and Michael still at “Wildflowers”. 61 year old Michael is listed as “Army Colonel Retired Russian Interpreter” (with the original annotated to add “District Organiser ARP Budleigh Salterton”) and 59 year old Violet with the conventional “Unpaid Domestic Duties”.

Michael died at “Wildflowers” in Q2 1957, aged 78. https://eehe.org.uk/?p=33296

All of that had left me with no leads on a picture. The North Russian Force was it seemed a dead end. But looking again at his earlier GSO postings, he had served as part of the Expeditionary Force Headquarters in Mesopotamia. The Imperial War Museum does have a picture of the Theatre Commander, Lieutenant General Sir Frederick Maude and his staff, dated to 1917. Among the individuals listed as being present was a Lieutenant Colonel Rowlandson – a man wearing two medal ribbons.

So my nomination for a match in the 1910 Staff College Picture is Officer 38. Edit 34.

 

Picture Source.

IWM Reference Q 25732 Lieutenant-General Sir Frederick Stanley Maude (GOC-in-C Mesopotamia August 1916 - 18 November 1917) with British staff officers and Russian officers from their army in Persia. The officers are (l to r): Back row - General Hopwood, Lieutenant Colonel Rowlandson, Brigadier-General W H Beach; front row - General Sir Arthur Money, Colonel Rajhanov, Lieutenant-General Sir Frederick Maude, Captain Tenakov. https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205129111

Michael Rowlandson isn’t the only 38^th Dogras officer we’ve had cause to look at over the two staff college pictures. The 1911 picture had Richard Hope Waller from that Regiment. Looking at their uniform details gives a strong hint that they are from the same Regiment.

 

 

(No new IP was created in producing the above and all image rights remain with the current owners).

Cheers,
Peter

Another good match with #34 Peter, and as you say the standard infantry tunic for officers of 1902 pattern (Imperial British) complies too.

[FROGSMILE]

12 hours ago, PRC said:

Well I might have if I wrote the right number - it's Officer 34 as per the picture rather than 38 in the text. D'oh

Got to be worth a try - you never know what combination of search terms will suddenly unlock a gem.

Not spotting any obvious match, but looks a bit older so may be some hair loss involved. Unfortunately not only is the younger picture of him as a Lieutenant have a watermark over his face, his headgear also distorts things.

Image courtesy https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/468796642444160377/

Captain Frederick Stewart Keen, 45th Rattray’s Sikhs.

His medals were sold through Spink. The catalogue description includes this mini-biography.

A long-served officer in the 45th (Rattray's) Sikhs, he witnessed active service on the North-West Frontier and in Uganda prior to playing a prominent role in the East Africa operations of 1914-16

The Most Honourable Order of the Bath (C.B.), Military Division, Companion's neck Badge, silver-gilt and enamel; Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., silver-gilt and enamel; India General Service 1895-1902, 2 clasps, Punjab Frontier 1897-98, Tirah 1897-98 (Lieut. F. S. Keen, 45th Sikhs); East and Central Africa 1897-99, 2 clasps, Uganda 1899, 1898 (Lt. F. S. Keen, 1/Uganda Rif.); 1914-15 Star (Major F. S. Keen, 45/Rattray's Sikhs); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Lt. Col. F. S. Keen); India General Service 1908-35, 1 clasp, Waziristan 1919-21 (Lt. Col. F. S. Keen, 2-15 Sikhs), mounted court-style as worn by Ranken & Co. of Calcutta, where applicable, generally very fine (8)

C.B. London Gazette 3 July 1926.

D.S.O. London Gazette 14 January 1916.

Frederick Stewart Keen was born on 22 June 1874, the third son of Colonel Sir Frederick John Keen, K.C.B. Educated at Haileybury and Sandhurst, he was attached as a subaltern to the Royal Welsh Fusiliers in 1894, prior to being appointed to the 45th (Rattray's) Sikhs in the following year.

Having then witnessed active service with the Tirah Field Force in the Bara Valley operations of 1897-98 (Medal & 2 clasps), he was seconded for service in East Africa.

Arriving in Mombasa in March 1898, he took command of a company of the Uganda Rifles at Kismayu that July. He was subsequently actively employed in the Ogaden Expeditionary Force in Uganda until October of the same year (Medal & clasp). And was likewise actively employed during the 3rd Nandi Expedition in May-October 1900 (2nd clasp).

Keen departed Mombasa for India in May 1901 and became a Political Officer after being advanced to Captain in early 1903. It was in this capacity that he was mentioned in despatches for his supporting work in respect of operations on the North-West Frontier (London Gazette 14 August 1908, refers).

Having then graduated from the Staff College, Quetta in the class of 1909-10, he was advanced to Major in Rattray's Sikhs in January 1912. And it was in this capacity that he first saw action in the Great War, albeit on attachment to the Indian Expeditionary Force sent to the defence of British East Africa in late 1914.

In January 1916 he delivered a lecture at Simla - 'The Campaign in East Africa'; a copy of his talk was subsequently published in the Journal of the United Service Institute of India and it makes for fascinating reading. The challenges of a determined enemy were one thing, but, as Keen was to relate, other local inhabitants were of equal concern:

'Apart from the active and enterprising foe, wild beasts frequently gave our patrols a lively time. Mounted parties had great difficulty in preventing their animals from being stampeded at night by prowling lions, and many a patrol was charged by rhinoceros. On one occasion a rhino charged alternately a British and a German patrol who were skirmishing north of the Tsavo river, and finally assaulted some Masai who were watching the contest and awaiting the result, killing one of them. Both patrols and the Masai retired, leaving the rhino in charge of the field … '

In concluding his lecture, Keen referred to the Germans as having - on the whole - 'played the game':

'I saw German doctors and nurses in Tanga hospital treating out wounded, black and white, just the same as our own. There were unfortunately instances of our wounded being shot by askaris, but there were also numerous instances where German officers saved our wounded from their own askaris.'

In addition to his award of the D.S.O., Keen was also mentioned in despatches for operations in the East Africa Force (London Gazette 30 June 1916, refers); such had been the prominence of his role in the campaign that he was invited to contribute to the official history of the campaign in the early 1930s.

Re-united with Rattray's Sikhs, Keen went on to witness further active service in Mesopotamia, gaining at least two further "mentions" (London Gazette 21 February and 5 June 1919, refer), in addition to participation in the Waziristan operations of 1921-22, as C.O. of the 15th Sikhs (Medal & clasp).

Latterly Commandant of the Small Arms School in India, he was placed on the Retired List in 1926, the same year in he was awarded the C.B. The Colonel settled at Seaton, Devon and died in August 1949. https://spink.com/lot/21001000339

So looks like he had two medals , both with clasps, by the time of the 1910 picture.They weill probably be the ones second and third from the left in the picture you found on Ancestry.

Can you spot any likely candidates in the 1910 picture?

Cheers,
Peter

Very interesting rundown on Keen, Peter, the 45th Rattray’s were one of several highly rated Sikh regiments and the first Sikh unit to be raised by the British. 

Edited 21 February , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[Bob Davies]

Just now, PRC said:

Actually 21 may be a good call.

I am inclined to stick with 21. Number 53 has a 'pagri' on his helmet that may help an identificaton?

 

Just now, PRC said:

Officer 21 has medals that have clasps on

He does I am sure!

[Bob Davies]

10 hours ago, FROGSMILE said:

Very interesting rundown on Keen, Peter, the 45th Rattray’s were one of several highly rated Sikh regiments and the first Sikh unit to be raised by the British. 

The more I look at the picture you posted FROGSMILE the more I think the Officer seated left is actually our man Keen.

Edited 21 February , 2023 by Bob Davies

[PRC]

Even with those latest two that still leaves us with 13 out of the 55 individuals on the 1910 Staff College picture still without a clear candidate.

I've checked the outstanding names from the 1909 and 1910 entrants and realised I've missed one of the 1910 entrants in the summary above - John Harvey de Wiederhold Carruthers, 1st Bn 39th Garwhal Rifles. But that still only leaves 11 of the known students outstanding.  Even if Thompson the 17th Lancers turns out to be an additional graduate and not an error in the newspaper report, that still leaves us short.

To try and fill the gap I took a closer look at the autographs on the border of the picture to see if that brought any new names to light.

Heres the 1909 intake, with signatures where available and number on the picture, if known.

And the same for the 1910 intake.

Theodore Fraser, one of the college instructors also appears to have signed it.

Which then appears to leave five autographs that don't to my eyes readily tie back to any of those names.

The first and second ones at a push might be D,S. Crombie and J.C Macrae. Any guesses as to the others?

There is also some writing under the picture, but at least one of the autographs has then been written over the top, so I suspect its not enough signature. Unfortunately it is really too faint to really make anything out even if I darken it.

Cheers,
Peter