TOPIC:

Hello

I am new to this forum. I live in New Zealand.

I am researching a member of my family tree and all I know is that his surname was GRAHAM and that he was a tea planter in Ceylon between about 1890 and 1901. He died about 1901, but we don't know how or exactly when. Possibly in the Boer War.

In the Ceylon tea planters directories there are three men by the name of Graham listed as tea planters who are also identified as members of armed forces sent from Ceylon to South Africa.
HC Graham - 1st Ceylon Contingent
RW Graham - 1st and 2nd Ceylon Contingent
AW Graham - Ceylon Planter's Rifle Corp

Listed on this site under India and Ceylon units I find that the Ceylon Mounted Infantry is identified but the name Graham does not appear as one who served, and I don't know if the Mounted Infantry is the same as the Ceylon Contingent or Planter's Rifle Corp. Can someone tell me if these planters in fact served in other regiments, and if so which ones, or anywhere else I should look?
With thanks, Michael

Hello Michael and welcome here,
A brief look at WO100 shows three Trooper Graham's with service in South Africa in the Ceylon Mounted Infantry.
318 L W Clark Graham, 352 H C Graham and 404 R W Graham.
None of these men are shown in the published casualty roll.
Men could serve with other units and Reginald Graham also served with the Ceylon Volunteer Company of the Glostershire Regiment.
I know the volunteers from Ceylon are of interest to Ian and I dare say when he reads your post, he will want to talk to you about them.
Again welcome here, kind regards Frank Kelley

Thank you very much Frank. I will be interested to read what Ian has to say.

I will take a look at the Gloucestershire Regt records. I suspect that the Graham whom I am researching was probably an Irishman, but that is not certain.

Michael

Good Morning Michael......

Just out of curiosity I checked "Lumsden's Horse", an Indian unit but from the same part of the world.....

Found a John Arthur Graham who was a Coffee Planter, Halari, Mercara, North Coorg.....

The interesting thing is he was nominated for a Victoria Cross but was down graded to a Distinguished Conduct Medal......

In letter from Commanding Officer:....

"I consider Trooper Graham behaved with great gallantry, risking his life to endeavor to save Trooper Caley, and, with exemplary coolness, bringing in Caley's rifle as well as capturing and bringing in under heavy fire a horse which would have fallen into the hands of the enemy"

Mike

Gentlemen
I saw the original post; however I could not add much if anything due to the lack of Graham's given names or initials. There were two contingents of CMI however the second one arrived after peace had been declared. The unit designation "Ceylon Planters Rifle Corp/Coy" appears to have been a synonym for "Ceylon Mounted Infantry". Mike, I also checked the Lumsden's book and noted that THAT Graham was a coffee planter - not a tea planter. And no entry for a CMI Graham in the casualty lists. Not of any help unless we can get positive gen on Graham's forenames.
Regards to all
IL.

Many thanks all for this help. Unfortunately I can't find the first name of the Graham in question as his marriage to my ancestor is not recorded anywhere, although her death certificate says they were married about 1893, in Cork, Ireland. She married again in New Zealand in 1902. So the first marriage was either annulled, or he died, or perhaps they never married, or it does not appear in the civil registrations for Ireland for whatever reason.

I will keep looking,

thanks so much for all your generous help

Michael