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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: WhiteHunter on Monday 14 March 11 21:18 GMT (UK)
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I have attached a photo of a Mounted Infantryman. The photo, undated, was taken by an Indian Photographer, 'Ram Dayal' in Cawnpore. I always thought that Mounted Infantry were only in South Africa during the Bore War. Can anyone confirm that Mounted Infantry were in India and any idea about his regiment.
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Could you try again attaching the photo please. :)
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Sorry!! I am having difficulty understanding how to attach it. help please
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Hope I've managed now
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Very interesting photograph. You will need to do a rescan of the hat badge at a high resolution to identify the regiment
Mounted infantry companies were also formed in the UK in the later 19th century. You can tell he is from an infantry regiment as he has the standard 'long' (rifle) rather than a carbine. They only gave these to 'proper' cavalry. He is also wearing a mounted man's ammunition bandolier, so he is MI and not an infantry man posing for the photograph. Just below the rifle butt is the ‘bucket’ that he would carry the rifle when riding.
The rifle is either a Long Lee (Enfield) or a Lee-Metford. They are hard to tell apart. There are things that suggest both. The former would have arrived in India c1902. So I would just think’ Boer War’ period.
If you have a name you should look for his service record on Findmypast, and then try Ancestry for WW1 records.
Ken
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Mounted Infantry (Yeomanry) were used extensively in Mesopotamia (Iraq) during WW1 also in Palestine and other areas of the Middles East. It is difficult to identify your horseman as his hat badge is blurred.
James
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a try
sylvia
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Many thanks to you who have given very clear information about the chap on horseback It has confirmed what I had gathered from others that he is Mounted Infantry. I have tried to scan the cap badge but it hasn't come out too well. I do not have the original photo so I am having to scan a scan. The original photo is with someone who MAY be a cousin (many times removed) and she thinks it may be one of her MURCH or BURCH antecedents. I have tried to find him at both TNA and Ancestry but no luck. I shall try the other site mentioned. Sorry if I am sending one reply to many people but I'm still learning how the system works. If I have broken any rules please forgive me.