By Robert Burnham & Gareth Glover

A large number of soldiers spent at least part of their career in the Far East, particularly India, either in the King’s forces or those of the East India Company. This is a list of those who left memoirs of their service there.

Alexander Alexander The Life of Alexander Alexander Edinburgh 1830. In two Volumes, but only vol 1 deals with his military service.

Note : Joined Royal Artillery and served in the campaign to Candy in Ceylon

 

Blacker Valentine, War Without Pity in the South Indian Peninsula 1798-1813, The Letter Book of Lieutenant Colonel Valentine Blacker. David Howell. Helion Books. Warwick 2018

Blakiston John. Twelve Years Military Adventures in Three Quarters of the Globe. 2 Volumes. London. Henry Colburn 1829

Bayly Diary of Colonel Bayly 12th Regiment of Foot 1796-1803. London. Army And Navy Cooperative. 1896

Crowe Philip, The Indian Diary of Lieutenant Philip Crowe. Edited by Gareth Glover, Ken Trotman, 2014, 96 pages.

Notes: Served in First & Second Bengal Native Cavalry

Fraser General James Memoir and Correspondence of General James Stuart Fraser of the Madras Army. Colonel Hasting Fraser, London 1885

Gillespie Sir Rollo. The Bravest Soldier, by Eric Wakeham London 1937, Major General in India and Java.

Harness William Trusty and Well Beloved; The letters home of William Harness, An officer of George the Third. Carolins Duncan-Jones. Glaggow SPCK 1957.

Luard John. Scarlet Lancer. James Lunt. London, Rupert Hart-Davis 1964.

Macquarie Lachlan His Life, Adventures and Times. M H Ellis 1958 Revised Edition

Note served with 77th as a lieutenant in India and in the Egypt campaign

Orrock John, The Letters of Captain John Orrock. Alison McBrayne. Leicester, Matador, 2008.

Purvis Richard, Soldier of the Raj, The Life of Richard Purvis 1789-1868, soldier, sailor and parson. Ian Gordon Barnsley 2001. Served in Bengal Army for Honourable East India Company

Shipp John The Path of Glory, Being the Memoirs of the Extraordinary Military Career of John Shipp Ed C Stranks, London 1969

Arrived in India 1803 as a drummer boy, rose through the ranks to Lieutenant in the 87th Foot

Thorn Major William Memoir of the War in India 1803-6, 1813

Was in the 25th Dragoons

Welsh James Military Reminiscences extracted from a Journal of nearly forty year’s service in the East Indies. Colonel James Welsh 2 vols London 1880

 

NOT IN THE ARMY BUT USEFUL

Hickey William Memoirs of William Hickey Vol 4 1799-1809. A civilian (lawyer) in India, this volume contains much correspondence from friends in the Army and also news from the front in India.

 

Williamson John. The Narrative of a Commuted Pensioner Montreal 1838 Served in India for much of the war. Served in the 78th Foot