SERVED UNDER BRITISH
Norwood Residents Have Been in Notable Armies and Have Been in Some Famous Battles.
Sun, Aug 10, 1913 – 8 · The Boston Globe (Boston, Massachusetts)
NORWOOD, Aug 9—The recent article in the Globe about the German veteran soldiers in Norwood brought out the fact that there are several veteran soldiers in Norwood who have served under the British flag, some of them in notable armies and battles.
First in point of time comes Edmund E. Elston, who joined the British Army in England in 1848, under the Cobden act, which shortened the term of enlistment from 12 to seven years. The regiment to which he belonged, the 17th Infantry, had then gained the nickname of the “Bengal Tigers,” while it was in India, and won distinction in the Crimean War while Mr Elston was with it. He did not see the charge of the Eight Brigade, because the regiment was in the harbor on a transport that day. But at the taking of Sebastopol he saw enough of war to sicken him of it. Mr Elston is 90 years of age. He was an organizer of the Knights of Labor in the olden time.
In 1870 William S. Wood, at the age of 17, enlisted in the 1st Ontario Rifles to put down the half breed rebellion under Louis Riel in the Red River country. The expedition left Brockvllle in May, 1870, under Col Garnet Wolseley, and returned in June, 1872. It suffered many hardships in the wilderness, and while stationed at Fort Gary the thermometer ranged 35 below zero. Mr Wood has a medal for service, and often marches with the Grand Army.
James A. Scott enlisted in the Royal Horse Artillery in November, 1878, and retired in January, 1891. He volunteered for active service in 1879 for a punitive expedition under Sir Frederick Roberts, now Lord Roberts of Kandahar, against the Ameer of Afghanistan. He was in the engagements of Ahmed-Keyl and Piewar-Kotie. Afterwards he was stationed at several points in India. He was an instructor in equitation and received a Government bonus for knowledge of Hindustani.
Samuel Copeland served from 1877 to 1883 in the 28d Royal Welsh Regiment, and rose to rank of corporal. Most of his time was spent in garrison duty in India.
Frederick Feaver enlisted in the 5th Royal Irish Dancers in 1887, and was for 16 years in the reserve force of the British Army. He saw much garrison duty in India and for 15 months was in the Boer War. He scouted up through the Transvaal and Orange Free State and was with the force which relieved Mafe-king.
Benjamin D. Lalley was in the Royal Garrison Artillery from August, 1888, to August, 1890, and served in the 1st Company, Southern Division, and the 27th Company, Southern Division. He was signaling instructor. About six years of his service was spent in different points in Ceylon, about which island he has much knowledge.
In 1890 William Shepard enlisted for seven years in the 40th Company, Royal Engineers. In he was sent to South Barracks at Halifax, where the rest of his enlistment was spent. Thomas Edwards served for 8 years in the Boer War. He was in the King’s Liverpool Regiment of Volunteers. Most of his service was in block-house duty at Kimberly and Modder River.
