Gordon Caldecott Posted 11 June , 2004 Share Posted 11 June , 2004 Hi, Has anyone ever heard of the Coorg & Mysore Rifles? Can you tell me where they served in WW1, in fact can you tell me anything at all about them? Gordon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Denham Posted 11 June , 2004 Share Posted 11 June , 2004 The Coorg & Mysore Volunteer Rifles were formed in 1884. In 1917 they became 30th Coorg & Mysore Rifles and later amalgamated with the 6th Bangalore Battalion. They served in India only (From 'Military Badges of the British Empire 1914-18') Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HERITAGE PLUS Posted 11 June , 2004 Share Posted 11 June , 2004 In 1911 the HQ of the Coorg & Mysore Rifles was at Merkara. The unit had a core drawn form the Coffee Planters. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Caldecott Posted 12 June , 2004 Author Share Posted 12 June , 2004 Cheers Guys, What was the rank and file made up of? I have a Police Special Constables LSGC GV1R medal, he had previously served in this Regiment, who he have been a Officer, or could he just have easily been an OR? Anyone thoughts? Gordon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Caldecott Posted 19 June , 2004 Author Share Posted 19 June , 2004 Can anyone tell me if its possible to research soldiers of British origin, that served in this battalion, in the same way as you can for British Regiments? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Caldecott Posted 13 July , 2004 Author Share Posted 13 July , 2004 Hi, I have discovered some additional information, which i`m hoping will help someone to help me out further. Geoffrey McCartney Beville was born in about 1893 and was the son of Col C H Beville Indian Army, he`s mentioned on the 1901 Census, so am unsure if this means that he was back in Blighty by then, but he certainly served with this Regiment during the Great War. Given that this Regiment only served in India, am I right in thinking that he would only be entitled to a BWM? Has anyone got any idea what the succes rate is for finding service papers to Indian Army Officers? Gordon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trevelyan Posted 13 July , 2004 Share Posted 13 July , 2004 Gordon, I've found reference to Col.C.H.Beville in both my Jan.1919 and April 1939 Indian Army Lists, but nothing on G.M.Beville. If he was with the 6th Bangalore, Coorg & Maysore Rifles during the Great War (or at least in Jan.1919), then he was not serving as an officer. If he served in India only, then yes, only a BWM - unless he was on active service on the N.W.Frontier, then a Victory as well, but I doubt this. I hope this helps, Christopher Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Caldecott Posted 14 July , 2004 Author Share Posted 14 July , 2004 Cheers Chris, That is a puzzle, I think given the fact his Dad was an Officer, then I feel sure he would have followed suit? But hey stranger things have happened. It would in fact make more sense if he hadn`t served in the Regiment at all, because according to his obituary he served in the Kent Police for 40 years, leaving in 1944, due to ill health, so I feel that one or other of these facts stated in the obituary are wrong, maybe who ever wrote it in about 1965, got the details wrong, his parents would have been well dead by then, and his brothers or sisters would have been pushing it by then too, memories not as sharp as they had been, etc. Also I know his first wife of 20 years+, was killed in an air raid in 1940, and his second wife died in 1953, so I suppose no one was left to give the full facts. Also his Police LSGC, appears to be mounted on the orignal ribbon (GVR), with no sign of any BWM or Defence Medal. But anyway thanks very much indeed, for taking the time, to check those details out for me. Gordon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tintin1689 Posted 15 July , 2004 Share Posted 15 July , 2004 This unit was part of the Auxiliary Forces (India) the AFI These were part time soldiers of European or mixed race origin. The units mostly dated back to the period after the Indian Mutiny when Internal Security issues pressed on everyone's mind. There were artillery, engineer, light horse units as well as infantry and during the Great War period armoured car and MG units were added. As many of the personnel were indispensable to the war effort (very large elements of the AFI were railwaymen) or underage, overage or unfit, units could not be mobilised for overseas. An attempt was made to form a Field Battery for overseas service from mixed race members of the force, but it was not complete before the armistice. Individuals did join up, however, while the units served in a kind of home guard fashion protecting vulnerable points and lines of communications and helping the Indian police Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Caldecott Posted 17 July , 2004 Author Share Posted 17 July , 2004 Cheers Tintin, thats been of great help and interest. man y thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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