Cheshire Regiment

[Premier]

Hi. My father joined the Cheshire Regiment in 1921 and I have received his papers from the MOD. they say he was posted to India in 1922 for 7 years and then sent back to England for a further 5 years. Does anyone know how I could get some information on his time in India as his papers do not say anything about it, just the fact that he had been posted there.

[Lesley Robertson]

Unless he did something that would leave a paper trail (eg married, baptised a child, broke a regulation, did something heroic), most of the usual sources may not be helpful (except maybe the local newspapers of his home town). I see that there's a Cheshire Military Museum, and a page for the Regiment HERE. It might be worth asking them whether there's an equivalent to the War Diaries for peacetime overseas service, and if so, whether they have it. Unless he was a senior officer, it would probably not name him, but you could find general info on where they were in India and what they were doing.

Commercial databases such as Ancestry, Find My Past and (of course) Forces War Records have some between World Wars (and earlier) records. Even a small wound or tooth problems might get him mentioned in hospital records...

[keith9351]

Cheshire Regiment - India Lucknow Jan.1922 then on to Dinapore 1924, Poona 1927 and Allahabad 1929.
Did he serve 7 years with the Colours ( Regular Army ) and 5 years in the Reserves which was normal then?

Keith

[Premier]

Hi. Yes he did serve 7years with colours and 5 years in the reserves. I don't understand much about the Army and was surprised when my dad joined the Cheshire regiment when he lived in Manchester most of his life. Not sure why this was so I am still trying to get as much information as I can. Thank you for your help.

[Lesley Robertson]

In the aftermath of WW1, he might not have had much choice. They could have been sending men were ever they were most needed (what's what they did during the War.