SILVER STATUETTE OF COLONEL LUMSDEN
Manufactured by the Goldsmiths and Silversmiths’ Company, Limited, 112 Regent Street, London
A history of Lumsden’s Horse would be incomplete were the names of those noble sisters, the Misses Keyser, omitted. They nursed and looked after several officers of the corps who were invalided home, and on this account Colonel Lumsden thinks a tribute of admiration and an expression of grateful thanks are due to them. Miss Keyser and her sister Miss Agnes (Sister Agnes) have, since the commencement of the war, devoted their house, their money, and their time to nursing officers invalided home from wounds and sickness, and are still continuing their noble work. Their contribution to the War Fund has been one of which the nation may feel justly proud. King Edward’s Convalescent Home, which their house is now styled, has been indeed ‘sweet home’—a place of rest and unalloyed comfort—to over 300 officers who have been invalided from South Africa, and the self-sacrifice of ladies whose days have been devoted to the alleviation of suffering will be gratefully appreciated by all those who have received kind treatment at their hands, and by the British public.
Colonel Lumsden, on his return to London, applied to get pay for his men raised to the Colonial standard of 5s. per diem, but was told by Lord George Hamilton that as Indian taxpayers would not be asked to contribute to the cost either of the war in South Africa or of the war in China, it would be quite impossible to make up the difference between the British standard of pay and the Colonial standard. The Cape Colony and Natal Governments had, in special cases, defrayed the difference out of their own exchequers.
On applying to the Secretary of State for War, the Colonel was informed by Mr. Brodrick that, were his request granted, the whole of the Yeomanry who went out in 1900 would be entitled to a similar increase, and therefore he could not assist. Colonel Lumsden, in explanation, said the request had not been made by any of the men themselves, but by him on their account, and, although a sense of duty to them had impelled him to make this claim, he considered that they would be all the prouder for having served their country on 1s. 2d. a day.
For nearly eighteen months after the disbandment of the corps its former Colonel gave up his time to details connected with it. In the event of another Volunteer contingent being despatched from India, it is doubtful whether anyone of Colonel Lumsden’s position and resources would take such an interest in the force or would have the time to give to work that might be more properly undertaken by the War Office.
Colonel Lumsden endeavoured successfully to get employment for those of his troopers who had given up lucrative engagements to join the corps. There were certain men who could not obtain their former appointments, and their old commandant devoted his time and attention to further their interests. He found that, however willing the Government of India and the Government of Bengal were to find employment for these men in Government service as some recognition of what they had done for the Empire while serving with Lumsden’s Horse, neither the Viceroy nor the Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal had appointments at his disposal owing to the system of competitive examination for all posts under their administration. Therefore Colonel Lumsden was greatly indebted to merchants, tea proprietors, and others for the help they gave him in obtaining situations for certain of his men. The fact that no appointments are reserved for the benefit of soldiers or sailors who have served their country well is a blot on the competitive system both in India and in England. It may prove to be a serious discouragement to the desire for volunteering in future emergencies.
Very few, even among Colonel Lumsden’s most intimate friends and old comrades, know that after all his hard work he went out to India again in the first week of December 1901 with instructions from the War Office to raise another corps of Indian Volunteers for service in South Africa, provided sufficient numbers of the right class of men were available. On arrival in Calcutta, and after consultation with His Excellency the Viceroy, Colonel Lumsden wrote to Officers Commanding the different Volunteer corps from whose ranks most of his previous contingent had been recruited. Their replies showed, however, that the three great industries, indigo, tea, and coffee, were not in a position to bear another strain so soon. The Colonel’s sporting offer therefore came to nothing. His efforts, however, were appreciated both by the Secretary of State for War and by the Commander-in-Chief, and duly recognised in a letter of thanks from the Adjutant-General.
Colonel Lumsden and Sir Patrick Playfair have hardly yet finished their labours in connection with the corps, of which all accounts have been carefully audited by Messrs. Lovelock & Lewes, the actuaries in Calcutta, and have been balanced to a point showing the expenditure in India to equip the corps, the remittances made to South Africa for urgent requirements, all disbursements in connection with the disbandment of the corps, and the balance that remains. These accounts[[15]] may be valuable in the future as guides to the probable expenditure in similar cases, and they are interesting now as proving the accuracy of calculations made at the outset, whereby the cost of equipping and maintaining such a force in the field for twelve months was estimated at 1,000 rupees per man, exclusive of gifts in kind. In dealing with accounts previous to disbandment of the corps, much valuable assistance was given by Major Ramsden, Controller of Military Accounts, Bengal; but for the completeness and accuracy of pay-sheets and other regimental documents, great credit is due to Mr. Fraser, of the Bank of Bengal, and to his assistant paymaster, Mr. Graves, of the same bank, both of whom did hard clerical work under difficulties in the office without neglecting their duties as soldiers. After all expenses are paid, there will probably be a balance of twenty or thirty thousand rupees in hand. Colonel Lumsden has suggested that it cannot be devoted to a better purpose than as a subsidy towards the maintenance of a paying ward for sick or disabled Volunteers in the New General Hospital in Calcutta. The general wish is that this should henceforth be known as the Lumsden’s Horse Ward in commemoration of men who did good service to their country at some personal sacrifice.
To the memory of those who fell in battle or passed through the portals of sickness to infinite peace in the midst of war Lord Curzon has paid tribute by the erection of a handsome mural tablet in St. Paul’s Cathedral, Calcutta. That monument was unveiled by the Viceroy on March 23, 1902, after Evensong, when a specially appropriate service was arranged by Canon Luckman. Members of the Corps were invited to assemble in full dress at the south transept door of St. Paul’s Cathedral at 6.15 o’clock that Sunday evening. They entered the Cathedral and passed in procession, following the choir and clergy, to seats provided for them in the aisle.
At the conclusion of the service His Excellency the Viceroy, Honorary Colonel of Lumsden’s Horse, unveiled the brass tablet he had personally presented to the Cathedral in memory of those members of the corps who died in South Africa. The tablet had been placed on the south wall of the entrance to the chancel, in front of the statue to Bishop Heber. After the singing of the Offertory hymn the procession was formed in the following order: