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Messages - cathibea

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Armed Forces / Re: Second Anglo-Afghan War 1878-80
« on: Friday 05 June 09 16:35 BST (UK)  »
Thank you so much--you have been so helpful! You may certainly add my great-grandfather's name to the Afghan War memorial database.

I have become rather captivated by the story of Sergeant Sim and his wife, Elizabeth Gardner of Musquodoboit, Nova Scotia. Apparently when the 78th left Halifax in 1871, 17 local women who had married Highlanders left with them. As I said in my previous post, children were born to Sgt and Mrs. Sim in Ireland, Dover, England, and Poona.  Given the difficulties of sea travel, and travel in general, I find it very interesting that families moved with ordinary soldiers to postings in India, where conditions at the "base", "camp", or "fort" or whatever can't have been very comfortable.

In any case, I am very happy to have the information you so kindly supplied, so I can add to what we know about their story.

Kindest regards.

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Armed Forces / Re: British soldier in Halifax, Nova Scotia 1882
« on: Wednesday 03 June 09 01:42 BST (UK)  »
According to "Fortress Halifax: Portrait of a Garrison Town" by Mike Parker (Halifax, NS: Nimbus, 2004) "Britain completed its military withdrawal from Canada in 1905-06, a process that began during the Crimean War, accelerated in 1871 with the recall of remaining Imperial forces except those needed for the naval dockyards at Halifax and Esquimalt" (p. 215).  By that time, in Halifax, the following were present: 5th Royal Garrison regiment, Royal Garrison Artillery, Royal Engineers, Army Service Corps, Royal Army Medical Corps, and Army Ordnance Department. Canada took over the forces and those who wanted to stay under Canadian service could do so, says Parker.

This same author quotes the Acadian Recorder as saying that there were 436 regments in Halifax between 1783 and 1896--quite a few to choose from.

The only other info I can glean from this source is that 1) the Royal Engineers were building and repairing gun emplacements as late as 1880, but it may only have been officers who were managing local volunteers 2) the Royal Artillery were in Halifax in 1880, pictured putting on a play  3) the 97th Regiment garrisoned in Halifax of an on from 1848n to 1880 4) it was the norm to have two regiments at a time in Halifax until 1883 5) the 101st Regiment under Sir Patrick MacDoungall were in Halifax in 1882.

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Armed Forces / Re: Second Anglo-Afghan War 1878-80
« on: Tuesday 02 June 09 17:48 BST (UK)  »
I have been attempting to find out more about Sergeant George Sim of the 78th Highlanders, who was in the second Afghan War. I believe his number is 1464, as it is engraved on the side of his campaign medal. He was in Halifax Nova Scotia from 1869-1871; he married Caroline Gardner in 1871 and left Halifax. I think their children were born in Ireland, Dover, England and Poonah, India. He is said to have died of sunstroke in Afghanistan. I would like to know more about when and where he died, and his movements with the regiment. It is somewhat shocking to think that his wife moved around with him, but it clear that she did.  She eventually returned to Halifax with her children, although some seem to have returned later than she did.

If anyone can direct me to a good source, or has any information, I would be very grateful. Unfortunately I do not live in the UK so I can't hand-search any archives; I have to rely on the Internet for now.


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