Col Sgt Tom Henry MARTIN, 44th Foot d1878 Burma

[astonabbotts]

Tom Henry martin was born in Boston, Lincolnshire in 1845

He appears in the 1861 census still living in Boston as a 16 year old.

At this point he disappears from all UK records. However I have found the following entry in family search:

name: Tom Henry Martin
gender: Male
burial date: 18 May 1878
burial place: Toungoo, Burma, Bengal, India
death date: 18 May 1878
age: 33
birth date: 1845
occupation: Color Sergt H.M. 44th Reg
marital status: Unknown

I'd very much appreciate it if any one had any information as to what regiment he could have been in, why were they in Burma! and any other pertinent information.

Also, could anybody point me in the best direction for further research such as the National Archives.

Any help will be gratefully received.

Thanks

Simon

[Maureene]

Hi Simon

The FIBIS Fibiwiki has various pages which will provide you with more information.

If you want to find out the cause of death,it will be most likely, for this date, be given on the burial record. See the FIBIS Fibiwiki page FamilySearch Centres for details of how to obtain a copy of the record.
http://wiki.fibis.org/index.php?title=F ... ch_Centres

However, the fact he appears in the burial records most likely means that he was buried in a church at the cantonment Toungoo, which in turn means that he probably died of a disease such as cholera or dysentery, rather than being killed in some sort of action.

The burial records says that he was in the 44th Regiment of Foot. The FIBIS Fibiwiki has a page of this name
http://wiki.fibis.org/index.php?title=4 ... nt_of_Foot
which includes an online History which very briefly mentions Burma
http://www.archive.org/stream/historica ... 8/mode/2up

The Regiment was performing garrison duties in what was considered a Frontier area.

The FIBIS Fibiwiki also has a page called Toungoo
http://wiki.fibis.org/index.php?title=Toungoo

You mention the National Archives. The muster records for the period he was in the Army would probably be there, see the FIBIS Fibiwiki page British Army, section Records , for more details.
http://wiki.fibis.org/index.php?title=B ... my#Records

Cheers
Maureen

[astonabbotts]

That's great, many thanks