Interview with Lieutenant-Colonel Lewis P. Le Marchland [sound recording]

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 o...

Full description

Archive & Special Collections OA1/41/1-6 Closed

Date(s) of creation: 1972-1974
Level: Item
Format: Archive           
Main author: Marchland; Lewis Patrick Le (1908-1977); aide-de-camp to Governor of Punjab
Other authors: Allen; Charles (b 1940); historian and interviewer

collection SOAS Archive
id OA1.41.1-6
recordtype archive
scb_item_location Archive & Special Collections
item_location Archive & Special Collections
scb_loan_type Reference only
callnumber OA1/41/1-6
callnumber_txt OA1/41/1-6
callnumber-sort OA1/41/1-6
prefix_number 1-6
title Interview with Lieutenant-Colonel Lewis P. Le Marchland [sound recording]
scb_date_creation 1972-1974
scb_level Item
level_sort 8/Collection/Sub-Collection/Sub-Sub-Collection/Sub-Sub-Sub-Collection/Series/Sub-Series/Sub-Sub-Series/File/Item
scb_extent 2 hr. 45 min.
author Marchland; Lewis Patrick Le (1908-1977); aide-de-camp to Governor of Punjab
author_facet Marchland; Lewis Patrick Le (1908-1977); aide-de-camp to Governor of Punjab
Allen; Charles (b 1940); historian and interviewer
authorStr Marchland; Lewis Patrick Le (1908-1977); aide-de-camp to Governor of Punjab
author_letter Marchland; Lewis Patrick Le (1908-1977); aide-de-camp to Governor of Punjab
author2 Allen; Charles (b 1940); historian and interviewer
author2Str Allen; Charles (b 1940); historian and interviewer
format Archive
scb_admin_history British officer in Royal Gurkha Rifles in India and aide-de-camp to Governor of Punjab.
description 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.
scb_access_status Closed
scb_conditions_gov_access 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.
scb_copyright Copyright held by British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
scb_use_restrictions Private study only. For publication or broadcast please refer to Archivist
language English
language_search English
scb_copies Copy available at British Library Listening & Viewing Service. Reference: C1510/41/01-06 Copy available at Imperial War Museum. Reference: 004940/06
scb_related_material Transcript available at SOAS Library. Reference: OA1/41/T
hierarchy_top_id_raw OA1
hierarchy_sequence OA1.0041.001-6

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