Kabul to Kandahar Veteran - Thomas MacFarlane

[MonicaL]

William, promise, I will re-look for obit tomorrow  Off to bed, but love the big career of Thomas. Must have been a huge character 

Monica

[wmather]

Tom / Monica,
The ancestry tree you refer to Iain340 is my second cousin.  I have full access to that tree and have supplied some of the information there.  The tree owner made me aware of the Kabul connection.  The paper clipping came from one of my first cousins ( grandson of Thomas) who has been unsuccessful in finding it's source.

[tidybooks]

Hi wmather,

I thought it was a relative when I say all the information.

I am not sure if the newspaper clip is from the Glasgow Herald, I was thinking Sunday Post or Weekly News etc, never seen an archive for them.

Tom

[lud]

Hi There ,
try Hamilton Library 01698 452122 Local Studies they may look through their Hamilton Advertiser archives for that date and if it's there? send you a copy.
Here is a great link for Kandahar Kabul soldiers, Garen, would be glad for any info you have on Thomas.
http://www.garenewing.co.uk/angloafghanwar/database/main.php

Good Luck

[clanman]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Roberts,_1st_Earl_Roberts
In September 1879 he was despatched, along with Maurice Abraham Cohen an expert in the Urdu language, to Kabul to seek retribution for the death of Sir Louis Cavagnari, the British envoy there. He was also given the local rank of lieutenant-general on 11 November 1879. After completing his mission to occupy Kabul, he was appointed commander of the Kabul and Kandahar field force and led his 10,000 troops across 300 miles of rough terrain in Afghanistan to relieve Kandahar and defeat Ayub Khan at the Battle of Kandahar on 1 September 1880.

[clanman]

The following obit of a fellow Kabul to Kandahar veteren may help identify Thomas's medals as seen in his Ancestry tree photos.
"KABUL-TO-KANDAHAR VETERAN DIES
Mr. Thomas Hanley, who died suddenly at the home of his daughter, Mrs. T. E. Coombe, of Rundle street, Kent Town, yesterday, aged 81, was a member of Lord Roberts's bodyguard on the famous march from Kabul to Kandahar during the Afghan war.
Mr. Hanley joined the Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders as a young man. In 1874 he went to India, and in 1876 transferred to the Gordon Highlanders. With that regiment he went through the Afghan war of 1878-79. Later, his regiment was engaged in the first Boer war.
He received the Imperial Service Medal. Among other awards he gained were the Afghan Medal with three clasps, as well as the Bronze Star for the march to the Queen's Medal for the second Boer war with four clasps; and the King's Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct."
(The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : Wednesday 27 October 1937)
[http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/36382171]

[wmather]

Thank you all for your help.  The article was printed in the Glasgow Eastern Standard in March 1932.