Genealogy Chat

Hi just to say a really big THANK YOU to all of you out there who have bothered to help especially special agent! karen

Hi Karen My gt grandfather and my grandfather served in the 70th Regiment of foot in India MY GG although listed as the 70th foot he also served in the Native 108th regiment Found this info on my grandfathers Birth certificate my grandfathers wwi penison records which are on ancestry.com contained the details of his enlistment into the 70th foot when he was 14 years old I have tried the Surrey's musuem but they haven't a lot of details about individual soldiers Bren

Despite the Mutiny the 70th Regiment’s most enduring memory of its first tour in India was more likely to have been of cholera which was prevalent throughout the country. It had lost thirty-one soldiers from the disease after its arrival at Calcutta during the hot weather of 1849. It had sustained seventy-five fatalities at Cawnpore during a major epidemic in 1853. The disease derives from contaminated water and food, and had a high mortality rate. Initial symptoms are diarrhoea and vomiting followed by agonizing cramp in the limbs and abdomen. Assistant Surgeon Dalzell was attached to the Regiment during the 1853 epidemic and was deeply impressed by the devotion of the comrades of the unfortunate sufferers “ - rubbing with their whole heart and soul to relieve them from the terrible cramps”. The Regimental History records “When the epidemic was at its worst many thought that the entire Regiment was doomed to death, yet nothing could exceed the soldier-like bearing of the soldiers of the Regiment and the devotion shown by them to their stricken comrades. Such an epidemic strains courage and discipline fully as severely as the most arduous campaign”. When the Seventieth marched out of Cawnpore on New Year’s Day 1854, they left 346 men, 37 women and 99 children buried in the cantonment. Typhoid and cholera were prevalent diseases in the 19th century, and cholera the major threat. World War Two saw the extension of preventative measures by inoculation and by water purification. The Queen’s and the 31st Regiments also experienced attacks during their first India tours when good hygiene and the establishment of temporary tented “cholera camps” until the outbreak had passed were recognised antidotes, but much depended on the locality in which the unit was stationed, and the 70th was unlucky in that respect.

The regimental collection of historic documents, books and photograph albums has now been transferred to the Surrey History Centre. The Surrey History Centre will now be dealing with research enquiries relating to The Queen's Royal, East Surrey and Queen's Royal Surrey Regiments (2nd, 31st and 70th Foot). The Collection is also available for public consultation. Surrey History Centre 130 Goldsworth Road Woking Surrey GU21 6ND Tel: 01483 518737 Website: http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/surreyhistoryservice

The 70th Surrey Regiment appeared upon the Indian scene, arriving at Calcutta from England in May 1849. It was stationed initially at Dum Dum and Calcutta before moving to Cawnpore and then in 1854 further north to Ferozepore. In all those places it suffered greatly from cholera and other diseases. In December 1856 it moved to Peshawar in the Punjab where it was based during the Indian Mutiny which broke out in 1857. The Sepoy Revolt, as it was called in England, was confined to the Bengal regiments of the Company’s forces; there were many atrocities; Lucknow was besieged for one hundred and fifty days before relief; Delhi was captured and the aged Mughal Emperor declared the mutineers’ leader. But the rebels lacked unity and political leadership and after eighteen months the mutiny was crushed. The 70th was initially involved in disarming suspect regiments after the first serious outbreaks occurred at Meerut and Delhi, and then in the unenviable task of executing the mutinous leaders. Subsequently its role was to guard access to the Khyber Pass, and to provide a stabilizing influence in the area. The duties were arduous as the disarmed regiments could not be used, and volunteers from the Regiment helped to form a mounted unit called the Peshawar Light Horse. In July 1858 the 70th moved to Nowshera and then to Rawalpindi before marching to Cawnpore in January 1860. Later that year it moved by rail to Allahabad and Barrackpore, near Calcutta, a welcome relief from previous arduous journeys by road and river. Early in 1861 it embarked for service in New Zealand. Cholera broke out during the voyage and twenty six soldiers, four wives and one child were buried at sea.

Karen, have you checked out the 'Family History in India' site? http://members.ozemail(.)com.au/~clday/index.html ... and this on the regiment: http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/inf/070-758.htm

Thank you to those who have replied so far karen

Here's where the regiment was posted during his term. 1843 England 1845 Ireland 1849 India 1857 Sepoy rebellion: NW Frontier 1858 India 1861 New Zealand 1863 Maori war 1866 England

Try putting his name in on the National Archives Site. i got my grtx 4 grandads Army record from there. he was in the 38th reg of foot from 1825-1847. . you can request an estimate for the copy record and if you want it can accept and order online. Shirley

Try the National Archives catalogue, search under department WO. Jennifer

I have a relative Thomas DERRICK said to have been a corporal of the 70th Regiment of Foot in India in 1855. Has anyone got any info on them or where there might be records keep. I have the birth certificate of his son which is where I got the original information. karen