| A composite image created from re-shot cabinet photographs and carte de visites of the surviving members of the 16th Light Dragoons (Lancers) who had fought at the Battle of Aliwal (26 January, 1846) during the First Anglo-Sikh War. The images was made to commemorate the battle's Jubilee in 1896. It is likely that the original individual images use in this composite were created for the same celebration and were made available for public purchase. This composite may have been made as a less costly alternative to the single photographs. Cabinet Photograph G. W. Lawrie & Co. - Photographer lucknow, Naini Tal, Bareilly & Ranikhet, India 1896 |
| Private 1113 Charles Arnold - 16th Light Dragoons (Lancers) No information has come to light in regards to Charles Arnold. |
| Corporal 1457 Edwin Cowtan - 16th Light Dragoons (Lancers) Edwin Cowtan was born in Canterbury, Kent, England around 1824 the sone of Mawer and Frances Cowtan. A corporal at the time of the Battle of Aliwal he was promoted to sergeant sometime before 1851. A Troop-Sergeant-Major by 1855 he was promoted without purchase to Coronet on 26 October, 1855 and then to Lieutenant on 15 May, 1857. He left the service before 1861 when he is listed as the governor of Her Majesty's Prison in Hereford. He spent the rest of his public career as Governor of several of Her Majesty's prisons. Of note was the attempted execution of John Lee "The Man they Could Not Hang" at Exeter Prison in 1885 while Cowtan was Governor. Lee had been convicted of the murder of Emma Keyse. Sentenced to death Lee was brought to the gallows only to face three failed attempted hangings when the trap door refused to open. His sentence was commuted to life imprisonment and he was eventually released in 1907 and moved to the United States. Cowtan was already a widower when he married Jane Osmond on 4 July, 1876. Cowtan died in March, 1903. |
| Private 1328 James Costello was born about 1819 in Manchester. He attested with the 16th Lancers on 30 May, 1839. He was promoted Corporal on 1 March, 1858 but was reduced back to private on 27 April, 1858 for drunkenness. Promoted back to Corporal on 8 August, 1859 he was again reduced back to Private for drunkenness on 17 June, 1861. Costello took his discharge on 5 August, 1863. He was described as being 5 feet 9 inches tall with grey eyes and brown hair at the time if his leaving the colours. Regardless of his somewhat checkered record as a soldier he was none the less in possession of 4 Long Service & Good Conduct badges at the time of his discharge. He was admitted to Chelsea Hospital as a Pensioner on 1 April, 1892 and died on 3 January, 1896. |
| Corporal 1490 James Fuller 16th Light Dragoons (Lancers) No additional information. |
| Private 1100 Henry Head was born about 1817 in Lewil, East Coker, Somerset and attested with the 16th Light Dragoons (Lancers) on 30 December, 1837. He was promoted Corporal on 16 February, 1849, Sergeant on 26 June, 1855 and Troop Sergeant Major on 10 September, 1857. He took his discharge at Aldershot on 4 January, 1862 after 24 years, 6 days with the colours. Seven of those years where spent in India. At the time of his discharge he was shown as being 5 feet 7 inches tall with a fresh complexion and brown eyes and hair. His intended trade after service was cheesemonger. After discharge he served as Sergeant on the permanent staff of the Montgomery Yeomanry Cavalry. He seems to have attached to the Montgomery Yeomanry Cavalry as late as 1892. |
| Private 1531 Robert Irwin 16th Light Dragoons (Lancers) No additional information. |
| Private 1300 Henry Learner was born about 1819 in St. James, London and attested with the 16th Light Dragoons (Lancers) on 2 April, 1839. He served for a total of 14 years, 62 days with 6 1/2 of those years in India. Learner had been awarded two Long Service & Good Conduct badges and was described as a "trustworthy and sober" soldier in his discharge papers. When leaving service at Island Bridge, Dublin,he was mentioned as being 5 feet 7 1/2 inches tall with light brown hair, grey eyes and a fresh complexion and a laborer by trade. |
| Armourer-Sergeant 1303 Frederick Mares was born about 1819 in Birmingham and attested with the 16th Light Dragoons (Lancers) on 9 April, 1839. He went absent without leave for about a month on 10 July, 1839 and was found guilty by Court Martial and was confined from 3 August to 1 September, 1839. He seems to have settled down as a soldier after that and was promoted Corporal on 7 October, 1844 and then to Amourer Sergeant on 29 September, 1845. He was discharged as medically unfit for further military service in Dublin of 7 June, 1856 due to varicose veins in his right leg. He stated that he intended to return to his civilian trade of gun smith which with him being from Birmingham is not surprising. He served for a total of 17 years 7 days with the colours with 6 1/2 of those years in India. |
| Private 1533 Robert Masters 16th Light Dragoons (Lancers) No additional information. |
| Private 1206 Thomas Potter 16th Light Dragoons (Lancers) No additional information. |
| There were two privates by the name of Ross in the 16th Light Dragoons (Lancers) - Private 1057 Isaac Ross and Private 1312 John Ross. Additional information would be require to sort these two men out. |
| Segeant 1500 Charles Rourke was born in Dublin, Ireland about 1819 and attested with the 16th Light Dragoons (Lancers) on 11 December, 1840. Promoted Corporal on 1 March, 1858 and Sergeant on 23 January 1862. A comb maker by trade he took his discharge at Colchester on 18 March 1865. At that time he had spent a total of 24 years 98 days with the colours with 4 years 9 months of that time in India. He was in possession of 4 Good Conduct badges at the time of his promotion to Sergeant. He was listed as being 5 feet 9 inches tall with a sallow complexion, grey eyes and brown hair. |
| Private 1487 George Sell 16th Light Dragoons (Lancers) No further information. |
| Private 1126 Edward Scott 16th Light Dragoons (Lancers) No further information. |
| Sergeant 1941 William Small was born about 1821 in (Lancers) on 13 November 1839. He served a total of 24 years 146 days with the colours - twelve years and two months of that time in India. He transferred to the 3rd Light Dragoons on 1 April 1846 He was promoted Corporal on 14 April 1844, Sergeant on 8 December 1848. He was tried by court martial and reduced to Private on 22 May, 1850. He transferred back to the 16th Lancers on 1 July, 1853 as a Private and promoted again to Corporal on 1 January, 1856 but in keeping with his ongoing pattern was again reduced to Private on 5 November, 1856. Promoted back to Corporal on 13 August, 1859 and then again to Sergeant on 6 May, 1863. He took his discharge at York on 9 April, 1864. Small took a posting as Troop Staff Sergeant with the Leicestershire Yeomanry Cavalry on 14 April 1864 and served in that capacity until 17 July, 1875. His discharge being prompted by ill-health. At the termination of his volunteer service he was granted a £9 gratuity. His total years of service in the regulars and yeomanry come to 35 years 149 days. |
| There were six Privates by the name of 1224 James, 761 James, 1512 Patrick, 1549 Samuel, 1219 William, 1274 William. Again without additional information it is impossible to say which man this might be. |