“Here Lies Buried General Walter D’Oyly Kerrich, Colonel Commandant Royal Late Madras Artillery, Eldest son of Thomas Kerrich Esquire, Died 27th January 1911.”
Until 1858 British India was divided into three presidencies: Madras, Bombay and Bengal. These presidencies, or provinces, and their armies belonged to the East India Company. Until 1746 the Company had untrained and sparsely armed guards to protect its interests. In 1746 the French attacked and captured Madras calling for a re-think. Well-trained military units were raised to conduct operations, conquer territory, and demand allegiance from local rulers.
“The loosely organised military units were later combined into battalions with Indian officers commanding local troops. One of the first major actions fought by these troops was the battle of Wandiwash in 1760. The troops were highly praised for their steadiness under fire.
The Madras Army officers were in the early years very conscious of the soldiers’ local customs, caste rituals, dress, and social hierarchy. Some leading landowners joined the Madras Army, one of whom is recorded as Mootoo (Muthu) Nayak from the nobility in Madura. As the army expanded and new officers came in, mostly from Company sources, the leadership style and care of the men changed for the worse. The most famous incident in the Madras Army was the Vellore mutiny. After Tipu Sultan was killed, his two sons were held in British custody in Vellore Fort. On the night of 10 July 1806 the sepoys of three Madrasi regiments garrisoning Vellore Fort mutinied, killing 129 British officers and soldiers. The rising, caused by a mixture of military and political grievances, was suppressed within hours by a force which included loyal Madras cavalry.
In the 1830s the Madras Army was concerned with internal security and support for the civil administration. This was a multi-ethnic army in which the British officers were encouraged to learn and speak Asian languages. In 1832–33 superior discipline and training enabled the Madras Army to put down a rebellion in the Visakhapatnam district.” (Wikipedia)
The Madras presidency was almost unaffected by the 1857 Indian Mutiny. All fifty-two regiments of Madras Native Infantry remained loyal. By contrast in the larger Bengal army all but twelve (out of eighty-four) infantry and cavalry regiments either mutinied or were disbanded. As a result the Government of India Act (1858) placed the three presidencies and their armies under the direct authority of the British Crown. In 1895 they were merged into the Indian Army.
As you will see Walter Kerrich served in Madras through these upheavals. It is worth commenting, as military historian John Keegan has, that Madras regiments had little opportunity for active service on the North-West Frontier. As a result, more ambitious and capable British officers in the Indian Army opted for service with Punjabi and other northern units to the detriment of leadership in the Madras Army.
“He married Louisa Jane Cleveland, daughter of John Wheeler Cleveland, on 29 Mar 1856 in Madras, India. Commissioned into the Madras Artillery as a 2nd Lieutenant on 9 Dec 1850. Promoted to Lieutenant on 9 Mar 1857, to Captain on 15 Dec 1860, to Major on 15 Jul 1872, to Lieutenant Colonel on 1 Aug 1872, to Colonel on 31 Dec 1878, to Major General on 19 Jan 1883 and to Lieutenant General on 31 Dec 1888. He was Superintendent of the Gun Carriage Factory in 1880. He was placed on the Unemployed Supernumary List on 7 Apr 1888. He died in Fulham aged 78 years.” (Find A Grave) His wife is buried beside him.
On 26th January 2024 French President Emmanuel Macron was the chief guest at celebrations to mark India’s 75th Republic Day.