Anthony Alfred GEORGE, b1858, RA 12 yrs most in India

[pike]

I have a paper cutting from 1947 which doesn't give much info, I wondered if anyone can shed light on where I could find more
information of the man..Thank you

Anthony Alfred GEORGE born 1858 Lincolnshire
Died 24 Feb 1947 Obit as below (abridged)

One of the few remaining veterans who was with Lord Roberts on his famous march to Kandahar.
Joined Royal Artillery aged 18 (1876) and served for 12 years 10 of which spent chiefly abroad in India.
Left Army in 1888 to join Met Police

Thank you for any help with this

Nicola Pike

[Peter Ewart]

Nicola

His own army service record should survive in Class WO97 at the National Archives in Kew. This will fill you in considerably on his military career - enlistment details, civilian & family background, physical description, army travels, campaigns, awards, discharge etc etc. Others here may be able to help with details from specific campaign medal rolls, etc.

Back in "civvy street" his time in the Met can also be deduced from his entry in the decennial census returns. For example, in April 1891 he was living at 5 York Street (not far from Pall Mall) in the parish of St James, Westminster, with his wife Mary Jane, 32, and daughter Agnes J., aged 3. A decade later the family is found at 285 Newport Dwellings, St Anne's, Soho, by which time Agnes has a little brother, Alfred Thomas (3 yrs). Both censuses indicate that AAG was born in Kirkstead, Lincs and Mary at Spalding in the same county. Agnes was born in St James, Westminster and Alfred in St Anne's, Soho. In both returns AAG is described as a police constable. Going by the year you quote for his discharge and the age of Agnes in 1891, it seems likely they probably married around 1888. Of course, there may have been other children after 1901 and/or also others born between Agnes and Alfred, and who may have been dead by 1901 or absent from home that night.

Peter

[SWB]

The WO97 service papers are being released by FindmyPast which will save you a trip to Kew.

Regards
Meurig

[Garen]

The British Royal Artillery units that were on Roberts' march from Kabul to Kandahar were 6/8 RA, 11/9 RA and C/2 RA (the latter from Khelat-i-Ghilzai). Checking the medal rolls for these batteries there is no sign of an Anthony Alfred George.

It's not unusual for the obituary of a man who served in the Afghan War to have it state he was on Roberts' march, when in fact he wasn't. I don't know if people just assumed participation the Afghan War automatically meant participation in the march (especially at this late date), or if it's erroneous information from the family, or a misunderstanding of the information that he 'marched to Kandahar', but actually with Phayre or Stewart or Buddulph instead.

There is a list of the other Afghan War RA batteries here.

Best - Garen