| Summary: |
Audio recording of oral history interview with Lieutenant Colonel Lewis P. Marchland, covering the period 1908-1936.
Cassette side OA1/41/1: Long standing family connections with India; comparison of attitudes of different generations. Recollections of childhood in South India: hardworking nature of European commercial classes; ayah and household servants; family home in Madras; story of snake charmer's successful efforts to trap king cobra.
Cassette side OA1/41/2: Touring with father, district traffic superintendent of Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway: description of inspection carriage; preparations; meeting friends at staging posts; evocative moments; travelling by night; description of stations. Organisation of railway departments; areas where Anglo-Indians dominated; their position within community. Feeling that Madras was home. Attending racially mixed school in India. Reasons education continued in England.
Cassette side OA1/41/3: Lack of general realisation of India's qualities. Determination to return; entering Sandhurst. Influence of formative years in India. Indian Army commission; attachment to British regiment; joining 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles. Pride in regiment. Officer establishment. Nervous first experiences of commanding company as subaltern: problems; viceroy's commissioned officers' support. Recollections of subadar-major. Daily routine at home station, Abbottabad. Recreations: Gurkha hill running; sports. Brotherhood of Indian Army; relationship with British regiments; special regard for Gurkhas.
Cassette side OA1/41/4: Gurkhas' soldierly qualities; nature of their bravery. Mess life: games; protocol; fines. Role of colonel as inculcator of regimental standards of behaviour. Restrictions on social and sexual life of young officer. Leave allowances; visiting parents in south India; hunting big game; story of shooting panther; functions of 'shikari'.
Cassette side OA1/41/5: Fishing in India. North West Frontier service: tactics during 1936 campaigns against Fakir of Ipi; Gurkhas' reactions; dealing with Mahsud snipers. Difficulties of North East Frontier service. Problems of life in India: climate; family separations. View of government life as aide-de-camp. Assessments of Indian Civil Service, commercial classes and planters. Indian social hierarchy. Differences in southern lifestyle. Life as ADC to governor of Punjab; constant entertaining.
Cassette side OA1/41/6: Special occasions in Simla; protocol observed. Recollections of Lord Willingdon and Sikander Hyat Khan, governor of Punjab. Opinions on Indianisation and independence. Unifying influence of British demonstrated in Indian Army. Reasons for British success in India.
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| Main author: |
Marchland; Lewis Patrick Le (1908-1977); aide-de-camp to Governor of Punjab |
| Other authors: |
Allen; Charles (b 1940); historian and interviewer |
| Extent: |
2 hr. 45 min.
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| Admin history: |
British officer in Royal Gurkha Rifles in India and aide-de-camp to Governor of Punjab. |
| Access status: |
Closed
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| Access conditions: |
Access to sound recording of this interview is currently unavailable at SOAS Library. The transcript can be consulted. Researchers can access a copy of this sound recording at the British Library Listening & Viewing Service. Reference: C1510/41/01-06. For more details see www.bl.uk/listening or contact listening@bl.uk / 020 7412 7418.
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| Copyright: |
Copyright held by British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) |
| User restrictions: |
Private study only. For publication or broadcast please refer to Archivist |
| Language: |
English
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| Copies: |
Copy available at British Library Listening & Viewing Service. Reference: C1510/41/01-06
Copy available at Imperial War Museum. Reference: 004940/06 |
| Related material: |
Transcript available at SOAS Library. Reference: OA1/41/T |
| Format: |
Archive
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