| India, Ceylon, The North -West Frontier and Afghanistan. |
| Cabinet Photographs |
Lt. John Keith of the Royal
Artillery who was killed by
a tiger while on a hunt with
brother officers in the
Wurdah District near
Nagpore, India.
Originally the only
information available
regarding Lieutenant Keith
was that provided by his
Central India Times
obituary. Recently Mr.
Jerome Lantz of
www.hussards-photos.com
provided additional facts
regrading this unfortunate
soldier/hunter including his
first name, the date of his
commission, when he
shipped out to India, his
unit within the Royal
Artillery, as well as the
year of his death - a fact
missing from the Central
India Times article.
The story also reflects the
additional fact that warfare
was not the only danger
facing British soldiers
posted overseas. While
disease was probably the
most common malady
afflicting officers and other
ranks serving in the
colonies, other more exotic
dangers - such as the
mentioned tiger attack also
lurked in the shadows.
Both items were found
mounted together on an
album page.
Artillery who was killed by
a tiger while on a hunt with
brother officers in the
Wurdah District near
Nagpore, India.
Originally the only
information available
regarding Lieutenant Keith
was that provided by his
Central India Times
obituary. Recently Mr.
Jerome Lantz of
www.hussards-photos.com
provided additional facts
regrading this unfortunate
soldier/hunter including his
first name, the date of his
commission, when he
shipped out to India, his
unit within the Royal
Artillery, as well as the
year of his death - a fact
missing from the Central
India Times article.
The story also reflects the
additional fact that warfare
was not the only danger
facing British soldiers
posted overseas. While
disease was probably the
most common malady
afflicting officers and other
ranks serving in the
colonies, other more exotic
dangers - such as the
mentioned tiger attack also
lurked in the shadows.
Both items were found
mounted together on an
album page.
| Bombardier Sturgeon 3rd Mountain Battery, R.A. c. 1890's |
| Two Privates, a Servant & Pets c. 1890 |
| Military Cyclist Frank Smith c.1890's |
| Piper of the Argyle & Sutherland Highlanders c. Late 1890's |
| Lieutenant John Keith of the Royal Artillery Mounted Photograph 2 3/8 inches by 3 3/4 inches (6 x 9.5 cm) Unknown Date c. 1860's Unknown Location |
| Private The Lincolnshire Regiment |
| Royal Engineers Sergeant in Turban c. 1880's-90's |
| Lance Corporal The Kings Royal Rifle Corps c. 1902 |
| Gunner George Thomas Sida & 17th Lancer c. 1893 |
| Private 1st Battalion Cheshire Regiment (International Order of Good Templars) c. 1897 |
| Farrier 12th Lancers c. 1902 |
| Private The South Wales Borderers c. 1890 |
| Drummer The Gordon Highlanders c. 1902 |
| Right: The original article from the April 27 (no year) edition of the Central India Times relating that story of the unfortunate Lt. Kieth's fatal encounter with a tiger. |
| Drummer F. Hayter 2nd Battalion, The Suffolk Regiment c. 1894 |
| Private The Queen's Royal West Surrey Regiment c. 1900 |
| Private 2nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment c. 1897 |
| Newsprint 2 7/8 inches by 5 3/4 inches (7.5 cm x 15 cm) |
| Cyclists of the 3rd Kings Own Husssars & the 2nd Battalion, The Gordon Highlanders c. 1903 |
| Ch. R. Elasford Unidentified Cavalry Regiment c. 1890's |
| Lance Corporal George Barton Meadows 1st Batt., The Lincolnshire Regiment c. 1898 |
| Private 2nd Battalion The Derbyshire Regiment (Sherwood Foresters) c. 1888 |
| Sergeant & Bandsman Kings Own Scottish Borderers c. 1890's |
| Staff Sergeant Inspectors of Military Schools c. 1890's |
Daniel Dravot - "You are going to become soldiers. A soldier does not think. He only obeys. Do you really think that if a soldier thought twice he'd
give his life for queen and country? Not bloody likely."
From the John Huston film of the Rudyard Kipling story The Man Who Would Be King
give his life for queen and country? Not bloody likely."
From the John Huston film of the Rudyard Kipling story The Man Who Would Be King
| Carte de Visites |
| Maj. Charles Bailey Royal Scots Fusiliers c. 1880's |
| 2nd Lieutenant Alexander McDonnell Moore Royal Irish Fusiliers January 1883 |
| Unidentified Trooper 21st Hussars 25 April, 1871 |
| 2673 Sergeant John Madden 4/60th Rifles 1877 |
| Sergeant William Meldrum 16th Lancers with Wife & Servant 1865 |
| Sergeant E. J. Evans and Wife c. 1900 |
| Surgeon Henry Charlesworth Army Medical Sevice December 1897 |
| Left: Colonel Frederick Rowcroft, 4th Battalion, The Gurkha Rifles. Carte de Visite c. 1870's |
Colonel Frederick Rowcroft, 4th Battalion, The Gurkha Rifles, entered
Afghanistan with General Roberts after the massacre of the British Mission to
Kabul in 1879.
Forty-five years old at the time, Roycroft wrote a series of letters home to his
friend in London, Lachlan "Forky" Forbes and described the conditions in
Afghanistan that he and his men delt with - both due to the adverse climate as well
as the actions of the native Afghanis. Rowcroft was wounded in August of 1880.
After the end of the war Rowcroft retuned to India and assumed command of the
44th Sylhet Native Infantry but soon returned England and his home at Brighton
possibly due to illness since he dies not long afterward in 1883.
Afghanistan with General Roberts after the massacre of the British Mission to
Kabul in 1879.
Forty-five years old at the time, Roycroft wrote a series of letters home to his
friend in London, Lachlan "Forky" Forbes and described the conditions in
Afghanistan that he and his men delt with - both due to the adverse climate as well
as the actions of the native Afghanis. Rowcroft was wounded in August of 1880.
After the end of the war Rowcroft retuned to India and assumed command of the
44th Sylhet Native Infantry but soon returned England and his home at Brighton
possibly due to illness since he dies not long afterward in 1883.
| John S. Conder 14th King's Hussars & Servant c. 1881 |
| Pioneer Sergeant A. Wills 2nd Battalion, The Suffolk Regiment c. 1894 |
| Unidentified Officer 20th Hussars c. 1900 |
| Colour-Sergeant and Family c. 1885 |
| Horace P. K. Skipton Indian Police Service 1889 |
| Trooper 12th Lancers c. 1902 |
| Indian Havildar 1890's |
| Fusilier Sergeant & family c. 1900 |
| Gurkha Rifleman 1890's |
| Boer War Veteran c. 1902 |
| Five Veteran Soldiers c. 1900 |
| Album Group 1st Battalion, 8th (The King's) Regiment of Foot c. 1868 |
| Privates Joe and James Stretton c. 1880's - 1900's |
| Riflemen of the 32nd Burmah & 39th Gwalior Regiments c. 1900 |
| Private William Beattie & Servant Unknown Regiment 1887 |
| Unidentified Royal Artillery Gunner c. 1900 |
| Unidentified Private with Colt Lightning Rifle Royal Warwickshire Regiment c. 1900 |
| Sergeant of the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders and Family c. 1900 |
| Right: An unidentified Jemadar of the 7th (Duke of Connaught's Own) Rajput Bengal Infantry Cabinet Photograph c. 1900's |
This non-commssioned officer appears to be a member of the Rajput
Infantry although his tunic is of a simpler pattern that usually
associated with this regiment. The two stars visible on his shoulder strap
indicate his rank.
He wears the China War Medal of 1900 which coincides with the 7th
Rajput's service in China during the so-called Boxer Rebellion. The
single clasp would read "Relief of Peking". The 7th Rajputs formed part
of the international force under the command of German field marshal
Count von Waldersee that relieved the foreign legations in Peking after
the famous 55-day siege.
Infantry although his tunic is of a simpler pattern that usually
associated with this regiment. The two stars visible on his shoulder strap
indicate his rank.
He wears the China War Medal of 1900 which coincides with the 7th
Rajput's service in China during the so-called Boxer Rebellion. The
single clasp would read "Relief of Peking". The 7th Rajputs formed part
of the international force under the command of German field marshal
Count von Waldersee that relieved the foreign legations in Peking after
the famous 55-day siege.
| Unidentified Private (Army Temperance Association) c. 1900 |
| Private The King's Liverpool Regiment (International Order of Good Templars) c. 1905 |
| Capt.George H. H. Couchman, D.S.O. Cabinet Photograph Belgaum, India c. 1887 |
Sometimes it is possible to attach an
identity to a face even when no name
is present on the photograph. Based
upon the apparent rank (captain) of
this soldier, his regiment (The
Somerset Light Infantry), the location
of the photograph (Belgaum, India)
and the fact that he is wearing the
India General Service Medal as well as
the Distinguished Service Order, I
identity to a face even when no name
is present on the photograph. Based
upon the apparent rank (captain) of
this soldier, his regiment (The
Somerset Light Infantry), the location
of the photograph (Belgaum, India)
and the fact that he is wearing the
India General Service Medal as well as
the Distinguished Service Order, I
have narrowed down the
possibilities to one man -
Captain (and future general)
George Henry Holbeche
Couchman of the Somerset
Light Infantry.
George Henry Holbeche
Couchman was born in
Madras, India on 7
December, 1859, the eldest
son of Colonel Edward
Holbeche Couchman,
Madras Artillery and
Federata Harriet Whitlock,
the daughter of Sir George
Cornish Whitlock, KCB.
An outline of his service
career follows here:
possibilities to one man -
Captain (and future general)
George Henry Holbeche
Couchman of the Somerset
Light Infantry.
George Henry Holbeche
Couchman was born in
Madras, India on 7
December, 1859, the eldest
son of Colonel Edward
Holbeche Couchman,
Madras Artillery and
Federata Harriet Whitlock,
the daughter of Sir George
Cornish Whitlock, KCB.
An outline of his service
career follows here:
| Achibald Francis Stewart Durham Light Infantry Indian Army June 1986 |
| Captain Patrick Carfrae Dalmaloy Indian Army c.1871 |
| Unidentified Trooper 9th Lancers 1880's |
| No. 3692 Colour-Sergeant Walter Anniss 1/Duke of Wellington's West Riding Regiment & 6/Royal West Surrey Regiment Cabinet Photograph Lucknow, India December 30, 1904 |
Walter Anniss was
born in Balham,
Surrey on 26
February, 1876 the
son of Robert and
Elizabeth Anniss.
He received his
education at
Church School in
Isleworth.
He enlisted in the
1st Battalion of the
Duke of
Wellington's West
Riding Regiment
for twelve years on
30 January 1893. At
the time of his
enlistment he was
born in Balham,
Surrey on 26
February, 1876 the
son of Robert and
Elizabeth Anniss.
He received his
education at
Church School in
Isleworth.
He enlisted in the
1st Battalion of the
Duke of
Wellington's West
Riding Regiment
for twelve years on
30 January 1893. At
the time of his
enlistment he was
described as being 5 feet 5 3/4 inches tall, weighing 117 pounds with hazel eyes and dark
brown hair. He was also described as having a diamond tattoo on his right forearm and a
cross/anchor tattoo on his left forearm.
Promotions were as follows:
brown hair. He was also described as having a diamond tattoo on his right forearm and a
cross/anchor tattoo on his left forearm.
Promotions were as follows:
| Corporal - 15 May, 1895 Lance Sergeant - 19 November, 1895 Sergeant - 17 April, 1897 |