July 1909

AGAIN we are in that period of the year when the reading of the thermometer affords us much interest, and not a little food for conversation. It is decidedly what may be termed the season of the gigantic gooseberry, and the Sea Serpent in deserted Pindi, and we are swift to pounce upon any topic of ordinary interest.

NATURALLY, therefore, the good fortune of the worthy Sergeant of the 12th Lancers, who drew the King’s horse in the Calcutta sweep, appeared to be an engrossing subject, and was discussed for several days. On first hearing of his astounding luck, the news was discredited, and when confirmed, speculation was rife about what he would do with his gains. We hear that, very sagely, he sought and took the advice of his Commanding Officer, and has disposed of them in such a manner as to secure a liberal competency for himself for life, and for his family after him.

THE usual offers where telegraphed to him offering huge sums for a moiety of his chance: he accepted one such offer made by wire on the 23rd June, of ninety thousand rupees, (£6,000), thus securing the certainty of a huge return on his ten-rupee ticket. As is known, Minoru won the race and another sum became his, which made his win up to four lakhs of rupees, equivalent to over twenty-five thousand pounds sterling.

The popularity of this annual sweep is proved by the vast number who, every year, invest in a ticket, or tickets, and its absolute fairness there cannot be a doubt. More often than not it is won by a person of no prominence whatever, and we believe as frequently by tickets of individuals who are mofussil residents, far away from the great centres. In this year’s case the Lancer purchased a solitary ticket, and until the receipt of the wire intimating he had drawn a probable starter, he probably thought very little of his chances. We, of course, rejoice that the good fortune fell to a soldier, especially as it was one of our old friends, the Twelfth, and we congratulate him on it

OF much greater interest to us however, was the participation in the great race of the Horse of our Royal Colonel-in-Chief, and when eagerly and sanguinely anticipating it , we heard that Minoru had won a third Derby for His Majesty, our pleasure was unbound. The classic event has only been won three times by one owner before – by Lord Rosebery – a record which, we trust, it is left for His Majesty to break.

HIS Regiment in Hindustan can imagine that unparalleled outburst of loyalty and enthusiasm displayed when the winner was declared, which reached its climax when the King lead His horse in. In imagination we transported ourselves to the scene of the great race and joined lustily in those vocal demonstrations of delight, which echoed back to the Surrey Downs from the uttermost parts of the Empire.

IMMEDIATE means, if feeble, were used to express the Regiment’s joy by a cable of congratulations, which was graciously acknowledged by Sir Dighton Probyn V. C., G. C. B. etc

IT will be observed by our Racing Notes that we claim His Majesty’s win as a Regimental win also, and a reference to every Army List published since March 1863 justifies the claim. Since that date His Majesty has appeared on the active list of the Army as a Tenth Hussar.

FURTHERMORE, it was in the Regimental races, on the 31st March 1871, that a horse belonging to His Majesty ran for the first time in a race. On that day the Regimental races took place at Down Barn, near Hayes. His Majesty was present and ran a horse named Champion, for the Regimental Challenge Cup. The Royal Colours were worn by Captain “Donjie” Bulkeley, who lost his chance of winning by a fall, and finished second to Lord Valentia’s Wellington, ridden by Captain E. A. Wood.

There are many old Tenths who will remember the race, and join with us in the hope that His Majesty’s colours may again be seen competing for this Challenge Cup, presented to the Regiment in 1860 by Colonel Valetine Baker.

A PARAGRAPH of interest to the Regiment appeared in the Army and Navy Gazette on the 12th June. It reads:

“Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (27th & 108th). At Buckingham Palace on Tuesday, Colonel Lord Claud Hamilton and Lieutenant-Colonel Carpendale were received by the King and presented to His Majesty on behalf of the Officers of the late 5th Battalion (The Donegal Militia) an equestrian statuette of His Majesty as Colonel of the Tenth Hussars.

MAJOR SIR JOHN MILBANKE V. C. returned from leave in England on the 2nd April, an event very satisfactory to “D” Squadron, the Squadron, to a man, insist on claiming him as their leader, and will not hear of him posing as a “Second-in-Command” or as a Regimental Staff Officer. And Sir John is equally reluctant to relinquish his Squadron.

PARKER left for home on leave by the mail steamer on the 3rd April. In another column will be found announcement of his wedding, and we take this opportunity of offering him and Mrs Parker the very best wishes of the Regiment. We shall look forward to the cold season to give an occasion to extend to Mrs Parker a hearty welcome to the Tenth, and claim her as our latest recruit.

ON the 5th April two Squadrons of the Regiment formed part of a Force of all arms, which made a significant demonstration in Rawal Pindi city, prior to the impending collection of the land tax.

CAPTAINS MITFORD AND GIBBS left us on the 14th April for a year’s leave. The first month of it they devoted to shikar, in the Jangal west of Sambalpur, which is some few hundred miles south-west of Calcutta. We have not heard much of their bag, and fear the rains which were prevalent there during the period militated against much sport. They left Bombay for home on the 15th May.

The Military singles Racket Tournament this year attracted 20 entrants, among them Captain Kearsey; his game with Captain H. V. Bastow, 1st Battalion, Princess of Wales Own Yorkshire Regiment, is described in the home papers as a well-fought one. The result was 3-1 in favour of the latter Officer. The report declares that Captain Kearsey has a “taking” style, but his opponent is a better match player, whose hard hitting gained him many points.

THE passage through Pindi of the Black Watch, en route for the hills, on the 13th of April, resulted in the foregathering of the Sergeants’ Messes of that Regiment and ours, and furnished an opportunity for two contests between the members. They took the form of a football match and a tug-of-war. The Scotsmen proved their superiority in both.

ON the 20th April one of the Royal House of Siam, with an attendant Officer, paid us a visit, and lunched in the Officers’ Mess.

ON the 27th April we were pleased to receive a visit of Count Hans Von Konigsmarck, who said such nice things about us in his book Der Englander in Indien. The Count is a much-travelled man and an Officer of high rank in the much famous Regiment of Bredow’s Dragoons, and his approving expressions are gratifying in these days of traducement.

He has visited India twice and on each occasion was entertained by Indian Princes, and highly placed British officials, military and civil, who gave him every opportunity of studying our systems. He entered India from Ceylon, and practically travelled through the whole peninsula, and his book contains copious but thorough comments on all he saw – of the country, of its amazingly numerous races, castes, religions, its climate and its scenery.

A keen sportsman, he enjoyed good sport everywhere, with Officers of the Anglo-Indian Army, described by him as the best of good comrades.

The Counts says that their games and sport are not mere frivolity, but a necessary means of strengthening the mental and physical fibres for their arduous work in this invigorating climate.

As a good soldier of the Kaiser, he recognised the excellence of the Army as a fighting machine, and the professional zeal and knowledge of the Officers.

The ideal Anglo-Indian Officer, whom he claims to have met, he describes as a “man daring, and withal modest, experienced and energetic, loved by his superiors and subordinates alike, and in native regiments, fanatically adored by his native troops.” As for the subaltern, so maligned, not only by continental but by too many British writers, as the Count saw him at lonely and desolate Lundi Kotal, he found him to be a Commandant, administrator, diplomat, linguist, and cartographer; without companions of his own kind or distractions of sport, gay and good humoured in a life of incessant and strenuous duty, liable to be cut off at any moment by the bullet of a raiding mountaineer.

And were he to fell, any number of young Officers of the same type ready and eager to take the same post, not from greed and avarice and vain ambition for stars and crosses, but from a sense of duty and love of the work, a belief in the greatness of their country and a permanence of a rule of India.

INDIA, he considers, is a splendid school for the training of the finest men of the British race, and like other foreign tourists, he is struck with the slight ocular evidence except on the North-West Frontier, that British rule rests ultimately on military force. It is, he says, as if Britain governed the whole world with a walking cane. He notes with amazement how one khaki clad British Officer successfully controls the seething mass of humanity, beasts of burden, carts and equipages, struggling through Grand Road in the native centre of Bombay; and how one solitary white official in the salt deserts of Isa Khel, within very measurable distance of wild and murderous robber tribes, is set to test each camel load of the ceaseless caravans of salt he despatches Calcutta-wards, week in week out.

Everywhere he finds British prestige guarantees him security: “The mere shadow of a Britain” he declares suffices.

The Count was en route to Kashmir; we wish him the best of sport, and to see him when passing through on his return.

CAPTAIN ROSE and Mr Alexander left for leave in England on the 28th April.

THE annual migration to the hill commenced on the 29th April, when a party of 29 N. C. Officers and men, under the command of Mr. Brocklehurst, set out by march route for Lower Topa. On the same day 30 N. C. O.s and men of the band, under the Bandmaster Mr. Atherley, left for Murree.

The married families departed this year with more than the usual precipitation, owing to the publication of a Divisional Order that quarters not taken up by the 15th May would be re-allotted. Naturally the exodus was deferred as long as possible, and in consequence our women and children, in tongas or bhail-garis were much in evidence on the Murree Road on the days immediately preceding the time limit.

BROCKLEHURST did duty as Station Staff Officer from the 1st May to the 15th May, when he returned to Headquarters, and was succeeded and relieved by Mr. Gordon-Canning as Officer Commanding the detachment, Lower Topa. On the 10th June the dual duties were taken over by 2nd Lieut. Hall, Royal Sussex Regiment, and Mr. Gordon-Canning rejoined us in Rawal Pindi.

CAPTAIN CADOGAN returned from leave in England on the 16th May, and resumed command of his Squadron – “C”.

WE were pleased by the realisation of our anticipations that Sir Philip Brocklehurst would find it possible to pay us a visit. He arrived on the 20th May and left on the “26th. It is unnecessary to add any comments respecting this recently South Pole resident, to those which appear in the Advocate of India, which we heartily endorse.

MAJOR CRICHTON left on the 28th May for Poona for a course of instruction with a Veterinary class there.

Our Regimental football team are deserving of much credit for their play in the Murree Football Tournament.

On the 1st June they met the redoubtable Northern Indian Champions and holders of the Cup – the 12th Lancers – and at “time” the score was 2 all. Extra time each way was played without change. Re-play took place the following morning in rain and weather conditions that reduced the game to a mere question of luck, and they lost by the narrow margin of 1-0.

All were so good that it would be invidious to select any for special mention, unless we record the generally expressed verdict on our goalkeeper, Private Rounds, “that he is the best that has been seen at Murree.”

The team, from the fact that it had never played together before, a young one, possesses latent merits which, if developed, will most certainly secure them future important victories.

Let them go on and persevere with their training and practice and they will prove formidable rivals to the best combinations in these parts.

A MEDICAL OFFICER, who has just returned to Rawal Pindi from leave in Europe, brought greetings from an Old Tenth, Sergeant-Major J. Walsh, who is now the Official Guide to the field of Waterloo. He left the Regiment on appointment to the permanent staff of the Oxford Yeomanry in 1886.

THE success which attended the first of the Old Comrade Annual Dinners, under the new regime cannot have failed to yield extreme satisfaction to Sergeant-Major Palmer and the Committee, and while acknowledging the excessive work that was demanded from them, particularly from the Hon. Secretary, we feel sure they were amply repaid by the splendid results of their labours.

A full press account of the gathering, and a photograph of those present, is given in this Gazette.

We cannot quit the subject without repeating the disappointment expressed at the dinner, that no message was received from the rank and file of the Regiment. We have assured the Hon. Secretary that the omission was not a result of any lack of interest in the movement, but rather from the absence of a full appreciation of the new constitution of membership, and the Objects of the Association. The happenings recorded now will be read with interest by all, and the conviction required that the Old Comrades Association of the Tenth is not restricted to any rank but that, as its title implies, is an association at whose meetings the officers meet their old comrades from the ranks, the Non-Commissioned Officers once more greet the Officers and the men, and experience as great pleasure in doing so as the men feel in a reunion with the Old Comrades with whom they have served through years of soldiering days, and perhaps shared danger and privations on many a stirring occasion.

The list of names of those who attended the dinner recently held will doubtless recall to many still serving old instances which have been half forgotten, will reveal to them that the Association is full of vitality and usefulness, and ensure that next year the good wishes that all ranks offer to the Old Comrades who have re-entered into civil life will be expressed with as much effect as a cable can express them.

We have received several letters from Old Comrades who were at the dinner, to repeat which would occupy too much space, and can only say that all struck one note – that of unquestionable delight. One says “a splendid success;” another “the night was all too short to chat with each other;” others “all the boys were so pleased, and so glad to have the opportunity to meet the old pals, and seeing them all look so well;” “We shall at once begin to look forward, and hope for next year’s dinner,” and others in similar vein.

We propose to publish in or next issue some communications from Old Comrades who have been lost sight of for many years, but are still as enthusiastic Tenths as the keenest of us today. Their obvious esprit-de-corps, and the associations that they recall, some of over half a century ago, cannot fail to entertain nor to revive interest in the period of which the writers are types.

A FAVOURITE form of amusement on non-polo days during the hot weather has been, and is, swimming. By order of the powers of Simla, the plunge-baths in barracks have been closed down for their legitimate purpose, and converted into laundry storage for the dhobis. It is rather a remarkable circumstance that in a military centre like this, with its wealthy Club – or which ought to be wealthy – comfortable plunge and swimming baths are not provided, but it is so. The only swimming bath in the garrison, or its vicinity, is that attached to the Institute of the North-Western Railway, which the owners very kindly permit us to use.

It is situated some three miles from the lines, an inconvenient distance, debarring the men from indulging in this most beneficial exercise as the hours on which it is open are limited.

WHEN in Mhow, Colonel Kavanagh initiated swimming classes and encouraged free indulgence in the exercise, and many a non-swimmer learned the art of notation in the bath in the barracks there. The instruction was continued by our present commanding Officer in the face of the alarms of the medical authorities, with great advantage, and all now miss the plunge-baths which were ever a source of much enjoyment and health improving, in the summer months.

CHAPLIN, we read in the English papers, has been improving the shining hour by assisting his county, Sussex, to win at cricket. In the match against Gloucester County, Sussex won by an innings and 34 runs, his record is:

Chaplin, st. Board, b. Dennett ….. 26

IN the last number received of our contemporary, The White Lancer, we read with great interest a well written article on Cavalry Horses, by our own Commanding Officer. It is given in a style at once attractive and instructive, and pointed by personal experience and knowledge acquired in campaigns in Matabeleland, and South Africa, and in peace times. We hear from Meerut that the gallant Seventeenth were much edified, and hoped that Colonel Vaughan’s initiative will be followed by other officers.

A contribution to the X. R. H. Gazette from an Officer of the Seventeenth would be greatly appreciated.

WE observe that Major S. L. Barry has not been allowed to retire from prominence in the polo world; his appointment to Honorary Secretaryship of the Army Polo Committee, and the Inter-Regimental Polo Committee, is an echo of the eulogistic references made when he retired from the Regiment – to the perfect smoothness with which the Aldershot Polo was run by him.

MESSRS. TWEEDLEDUM AND TWEEDLEDEE, of Winning Post fame, in their “Letter to celebrities in Glass Houses” of the 5th June, addressed to Mr. E. Willoughby, Starter to the Jockey Club, asserts that the 9th Lancers introduced Polo to England, from India, that they met the Tenth at Hounslow, and beat them.

THE amusing and witty writers do not write with their usual accuracy in the letter in question. The game was introduced into England in 1870, by the Officers of the Tenth.

The first game played in England took place at Aldershot on a piece of ground just below Caesar’s camp, and the players were: Lieut. Hartopp (The Chicken), The Hon’ble Thomas Fitzwilliam, Lieut. Edward Watson, and other Tenth Officers. They rode their chargers, and golf sticks and billiard balls were used; subsequently a whitened cricket ball was found more suitable than the billiard ball.

THE 9th Lancers took up the game the following year, and introduced an improved stick. On the 23rd June 1871, the first match in England was played at Hounslow, between teams of the 9th Lancers and the Tenth, the latter winning by three goals to one.

Eight-a-side was played, and the names of the competitors was as follows:-

9TH LANCERSTHE TENTH

R. Clayton. T. A. Smith Dorrien
Lord W. Beresford E. Hartopp .
R. Moore. Hon. T. Fitzwilliam.
Hon. E. Willoughby. Lord Valentia.
W. Fife. W. Chaine.
P. Green. T. A. St. Quintin.
Palairet. H. S. Gough.
Grissell. E. Watson.

THE REGIMENT will be glad to hear that their old comrade (now Mr.) Fay, is maintaining his athletic reputation, otherwise than on the cycle track. A Somersetshire paper publishes that at an Assault-at-Arms held in the Townhall of Wellington, Mr. E. Fay, late of the Tenth Royal Hussars, gave a capital ball-punching exhibition, and that in a heavy-weight boxing competition he met E. Burstow of Westleigh (late 1st Devons). The contest was considered of great local importance, and aroused much excitement. Both competitors let themselves go, and Burstow was down in the first round. The second was reported to have been in the favour of the Devonian, but in the final round Fay proved his superiority, and was declared the winner, which met with great cheering from the spectators.

AGAIN, reverting to our old topic the weather, we congratulate ourselves on having had an exceedingly tolerable hot season up until now. Rain has fallen at pretty frequent intervals all the quarter, the foliage has retained its verdure in a remarkable manner, the dust has not been too bad, and despite all our efforts, we cannot report a shade temperature of over 114. In consequence of these favourable conditions we are not looking forward with the usual keenness to the breaking of the monsoon.

AREADY we have commenced to discuss the winter manoeuvres, which all are pleased to hear, are to take place, with the Nowshera Cavalry Brigade, at the new cantonments, Mardan. They will probably be later this year than usual, and not happen until the spring.

OUR final note is one of the Regiment’s congratulations, on his appointment, to our new Adjutant. No more eloquent comment could be made on the choice of Lieut. Palmer for this most important post than that of one of our oldest N. C. Officers. When apprised of the publication in the London Gazette, he said “Mr. Palmer; Adjutant! I didn’t think ‘Old Haldane’ knew so much about the Regiment before; why, he’s made for the job!”

THE following Regimental journals are acknowledged with thanks:-

The Eagle The Black Horse Gazette The White Lancer

The following subscriptions to the XRH Gazette are acknowledged:-

Mr G. Honess to the 31st December 1909

AS we are going to press the Mail brings the Annual Report of the Tenth Royal Hussars Aid Society. The fund of the Society is supported solely by subscriptions from former Officers of the Regiment, and does an incredible amount to relieve really necessitous ex- Tenth men and their families.

During the year just passed the sums were granted for the following objects:

Doctor’s fees and assistance to the widow of the late Farrier-Major Lewindon.
Doctor’s fees and funeral expenses to the widow of the late Sergeant Buckland, and entrance fees to the Duke of York’s School, for his son.
Doctor’s fees and funeral expenses for the late Private Hillier, a Crimean Veteran.
Refund to the Charity Organisation Society, of expenses in connection of an ex-Tenth man.
Subscription to the Royal National Sanatorium.
Assistance to Corporal Williams, Ptes. Watson, Bragg, Belding, Harris, Fox, Pullen, Fletcher, O’Leary, and to the widows of the late Privates Nash and Smith, and the wife of Private Byrne.

IN addition to the above, the report shows that a considerable amount of work was found for Old Tenth Hussars through the instrumentality of the Aid Society, the Committee of which are:-

Lord Valentia.
General The Hon. J. H. G. Byng.
Col. The Hon. H. G. L. Crichton.
Major S. L. Barry.
T. A. Dorrien-Smith Esq.

OBITUARY

As will be seen from our announcement in this Gazette, there has just passed away one who was probably the oldest living Tenth Hussar.

This was Mr. Theodore Henry Dury, who joined the Regiment as a Cornet on the 11th June 1847. His service with the Regiment, which was one of brief duration, was all spent in Kurkee, and in the following year he exchanged into the 3rd Dragoon guards. The owner of considerable property which called for all his attention, he soon quitted the Army, and settled on his Estates in Derbyshire. He was J. P. and D. L. of his county, and in his young days a well-known sportsman.

As a cricketer he was famous, and has played for England. The history of his family furnishes some most interesting details. They were originally Huguenots and sought refuge in England after the revocation of the edict of Nantes in October 1685, leaving estates in Picardy, which were confiscated. He was the son of Captain Alexander Dury, Royal Artillery, and was born in Woolwich in 1823.

Major Alexander Dury, his great grandfather, commanded the Grenadier Guards for some years and was killed at the battle of St. Cas (or St. Cast) in September 1758, while commanding the rear guard of British Troops. This Officer had a brother, Lieut.-General Theodore Dury, who died in 1785.

Lieut.-Colonel Alexander Dury, his grandfather, left the Grenadier Guards in 1794, having served with the Regiment in Holland. His father, Captain Alexander Dury, died in 1825.

Ensign Francis Dury, his uncle was killed in the American war in 1813, defending the colours of the 49th Foot.

Midshipman Thomas Dury, another uncle, died in 1803, on board Aeolus, of yellow fever. He was with Captain Riou, another relative, on board the Amazon at Copenhagen in 1804, when Captain Riou was killed. Lieut. Alexander Dury, his elder brother, died of yellow fever in the West Indies, whilst serving with the 67th Foot.

His eldest son, Colonel Alexander Robert Ashton Theodore Dury served with the 4th King’s Own Royal, 54th, and Queen’s Own Royal, West Kent Regiments. He took part in the Abyssinian Campaign 1867-68, and retired eight years ago.

His youngest son, Lieutenant Robert Ashton Theodore Dury, South Wales Borderers, was killed in Minhla. Upper Burma, on Nov. 17th 1885, whilst attached to the 17th Bengal Native Infantry.

Truly Mr. Dury’s family has given unsparingly of their best to their country, and all Tenth Hussars must experience a thrill of pride on reflecting that the Regiment has borne on its rolls, if only in times of peace, a name with which so honourable a record is associated.

We honour the memory of this Old Comrade, and our fullest sympathies are with his family.