P.C.O.Rifle Brigade-serving in India-HELP

[Missy23]

How fantastic is this........

I just received in the mail a copy of a letter written 15th March, 1862 in Subathoo India from GEORGE BAMFORD to his brother James in Australia.

James is my GGGrandfather and George is his brother.

Now the exciting part is that George has included his details of when he enlisted

name: George Bamford
He was sworn in on the 23rd March 1855 at Liverpool
Army number: 4789
No: 8 Company 2nd Battalion
P.C.O. Rifle Brigade

I know that at the time of 1862, he still had family living in Liverpool as he mentions that he received a letter from home 2 days before this and this is what he wrote....

"trade is very bad at Liverpool, they are working two days a week and no prospect of working any more"

My question is,
 
can any one help me  to find his enlistment details, details of his record within the army and when he left the army.
Also if possible if he went back to the UK, was killed in action or if he then went to live in Australia.

Thank you
Jan (Australia)

[km1971]

Hi Jan

PCO = Prince Consort's Own, part of the full title of the Rifle Brigade. Previously they had been the 95th Foot, or 95th Regiment of Foot. Everyone usually calls them just "the Rifle Brigade".

They took part in the Crimean War, so maybe SKS will do a check of the medal rolls for him. Good of him to give his regimental number. If he was killed in action they would normally destroy his service record after 20 years, so lets keep our fingers crossed. Because of the Liverpool connection I will see what I can find at Kew next time I am there. From his enlistment date you would expect him to be discharged 12 years later to qualify for a pension, which is the usual reason they have kept his records.

Ken

[Missy23]

Hi Ken

Thank you for responding to my query about George Bamford in the "Rifle Brigade"

Yes, I couldn't believe my luck to find he had included in the letter, his regimental number, very good of him.

Thank you for your offer to have a look at Kew, next time you are there.

I know from his letter, that at one time he was wounded and spent 7 days in hospital and my relative tells me there is another 3 or 4 letters that he wrote to his brother that she has. She is going to post them to me and hopefully I will be able to glean a lttle more info out of them

Until I hear from you again,

Thank you

Regards

Jan

[neil1821]

They took part in the Crimean War, so maybe SKS will do a check of the medal rolls for him.

Don't know about the Crimea,  but he was in India at the time of the Mutiny.
From the roll:
Bamford, George, 4789, Private, 2 RB, L
"L" signifying the clasp for Lucknow

Since he was sworn in at Liverpool in March 1855, I'd hazard a guess he didn't make it to the Crimea unless as a very late reinforcement. But still worth a check.

2/Rifle Brigade were in India from 1857 to 1867, then back in England (1867-72), then Ireland (1872-73), then on active service again in the Gold Coast/Ashantee War (1873-74).
I'll check the Ashantee roll later too.

Maybe the 1871 census would also help seeing as the battalion were in England

[Missy23]

Hi Neil

I just received in the mail another 5 letters from George Bamford to his brother James in Australia.

In his last letter to his brother he was stationed in Meerut East India May 14th 1865.

I hope that might help with narrowing down where he was .

I will see if I can get a look up from another site as to him being in the UK in 1871.

I know from his letter, he is saying that he will come to his brother in Australia, when his time is up in the Army.

It is very interesting reading these letters, and I hope to work out everything in them.

Thank you for your help and look forward to hearing from you

Regards

Jan

[km1971]

The Rifle Brigade has four battalions, all of which had depots in Winchester. According to the 1862 Army List the 2nd Bn returned from the Crimea on June 1856, and embarked for India 9 August 1857. At the beginning of 1862 they were in Meean Meer.

When he wrote ‘East India’ he was actually referring to the army command, which stretched from modern day Yemen to Burma. Meerut is in north India just north of Delhi.

Meean Meer seems to have changed it’s name/spelling but I found this fasinating diary on the “Friends of the Green Howards” website - http://www.greenhowards.org.uk/gh-diaries/usherwood-7.htm. The Green Howards incorporate the Rifle Brigade and take their name from the RB’s green uniform (with black collars and cuffs).

Although the diarist was in the 19th foot he was marching to Meeanan Meer when the RB were there so gives an insight into what Private Bamford would have experienced. From his entries Meeanan Meer will be just west of Armristar.

Notice the proportion of wives, children and camp followers to the number of men. The first chapter describes the 4-5 month voyage to Calcutta.

Ken

[km1971]

Hi Jan

Good news I have his discharge papers. Only 4 pages, but they give his intended residence after discharge. Here is the summary page:



If you send your emaill address in a pm I will send you the photographs I took. Unfortunately it looks like he was born in March 1837 which is 2-3 months before civil registration started in England and Wales. There is a Geo Bamford son of William and Mary living in Childwall (West Derby District and parish of Walton on the Hill) in the 1841 census. William was a Bootcutter (?).

His discharge says he may be unable to earn a living. So I hope he proved them wrong.

Neil...Mutiny with Lucknow, no Crimean.

Ken