Essex Regiment In India?

[jimmybobjunior]

Hi,

My Grt Grandfather was called Harry Hodge born 1888, Luton.

I only ever had a photgraph and knew family rumours that he was in India apparently 'Guarding Ghandi' in WW1. I literally knew nothing else!

I found this extract about him in the National Roll Of The Great War.

Hodge, H., Private, 2nd Essex Regiment

Joined in June 1917, and after his training was sent to India, where he served for two years, during which time he was stationed at Rawal Pindi, Poona and Delhi, engaged on duties of an important nature. He was demobilised after his return to England in January 1920, and holds the general service and victory medals.

Can anybody offer any help here?

Help memake sense of this extract?

More on the Essex regiment in India?

The training?

Wy he may have joined so late - and left so late?

Anything at all - Im looking for as much info as possible.

Thanks

Jim

[Willywombat]

As always, the Long, Long Trail has the answer!

2nd Garrison Battalion

Formed in Halton Park in January 1916. Moved to India, where it then remained.

The confusion seems to be that he was in the 2nd GARRISON Battalion, as opposed to the 2nd Battalion, although the National Roll seems to have left out the "Garrison" bit!

 

It's probably this book:

Burrows, John William. The Essex Regiment : short history and chronology. Southend-on-Sea : Burrows, 1938.

You could also try:

The Essex regiment. London : H.M.S.O. ; [ca.1920 ]

The Essex Regiment Museum email is:

pompadour@chelmsford.gov.uk

In India the 2nd Garrison battalion joined the Nasirabad Brigade, 5th (Indian) Division.

This contained the following units:

1st Bn Royal Irish Regt. 04 Aug 1914 - Oct 1914.

2nd Garrison Bn Essex Regt. Mar 1916 - 11 Nov 1918.

2nd Bn Queen’s Own. Sep 1914 - Jan 1915

As to why he joined and left so late; it could be any number of things. "Reserved" occupation? Not conscripted until the late date? Not physically A1 and hence not needed until later in the war (and why he ended up in a Garrison Battalion as opposed to a front-line unit)?

I'm sure someone with more knowedge than me will be able to tell you if he was likely to have enlisted under the Derby scheme or conscripted, and also possibly why he didn't leave the army until 1920, despite his Battalion leaving India in november 1918.

The only "H Hodge" I can find for the Essex Regiment amongst the medal index cards is this one:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documen...;resultcount=56

("Harry" and "Harold" didn't produce any hits with the Essex Regiment, so this is probably him).

Hope this helps. Good luck - it's a bit of an obscure one!

Bob