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X’MAS NUMBER OF THE “TIMES OF CEYLON,’” 1906.

C.M.I. – C.M.R.
1892. 1906.
(By the officer Commanding Ceylon Mounted Rifles)

The idea of a Planters’ Volunteer Corps occurred to me in 1888.

I sent out circulars and though I failed to raise a Volunteer Corps, I got back the prevailing
sentiments of the Planting Community of the period, which afforded amusement enough to
console myself for the failure.
The Governor, Sir A. Havelock, and the Lt. General, Dunham Massy, V.C, next had a turn and
failed as completely as I did, but with this difference that they got no amusement out of the
business; in that they dealt directly with the Mercantile Community as influencing the Planters,
whereas I dealt directly with the Planters.
General Massy has, however, in a letter to myself given some idea of how the Mercantile
Community of the time regarded the proposal.
“There would be no objection (he understands) to the forming of a Volunteer Corps amongst
the Planters, provided, they were under no circumstance to be called upon to serve in
Colombo!”
Disheartening Apathy of Officials.
There was absolutely no sense of seriousness in those peaceful and undisturbed days in
considering the question of armed offence of defence- if indeed it was ever considered at all.
With the Planters the frivolity was humorous: with the merchants of Colombo the frivolity
became grotesque. Under the circumstances it was not surprising for me to find that both the
Governor and the Lt.-General considered my proposal to form a Corps of Mounted Rifles (Light
Horse) - for that was my original scheme a hopeless one: and plainly told me so. The mass of
correspondence in my hands from Sir S. Havelock, General Massy, Col. Clarke, Col. Churchill and
others would form a striking commentary on the apathy prevailing in those days.
The empire and the world wanted tea; and the merchant and planter wanted money: beyond
that any suggestion was irrelevant.
The press together with a few old and valued friends like M.H. Thomas, J. Retties and L.H. Kelly,
gave consistent and practical support- and, needless to add, the military force in the Colony;
which all along been quite our very best friend.
Leading planters held aloof and though they gave no assistance neither did they actually
interfere with the movement. The rolls will show how neglected by the big men we were in
those early days – nous avons change lout cela. (The later rolls have the names of almost all the
Chairmen of the Planters’ Association for the last five or six years.) Nevertheless on July 11,
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1892, we got a start, swore ourselves in some 60 strong and put in our first drill on the Barrack
Square, Kandy.
Zeal and Ignorance of the New Corps.
We were full up with zeal and ignorance; of which qualities we flatter ourselves we retain the
former in bulk, and the latter in no mean quantity.
Capt. S.G. , now Lt.- Col. Bird, D.S.O, of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers, was then Adjutant.
No one, from the Adjutant down to instructor, knew anything about Mounted Infantry work:
but they all carried the latest and (I think it was the first) manual issued for Mounted Infantry.
The first Officers gazetted were ( besides myself as Captain): Prior Palmer and H.S. Sanford of
Hatton. The latter gave place soon after to Murray Menzies and J. P. Dove, John Rettie and G.
Alston received commissions on the formation of the Kelani Valley, Badulla and Nawalapitiya
detachments: thereafter followed our lamented comrade Arthur Thomas. Then Kenny of the
Colombo Section, the only one on the list above remaining with us, and going as strong as ever.
W.S. Murray, of the C.C.S., later relieved, John Rettie on his retirement as O.C. Badulla Section,
which became the Uva Section, now C. Troop, on the promotion of Sergeant A.I. Kirk to a
command which unfortunately he has lately considered it necessary to surrender.

The Contingent for the Beer War.

On the dispatch of the M.I. Contingent to South Africa, under Major Rutherford, commissions
were given to Sergt. Cotesworth and Trooper Wigram, the former of whom served right
through with the force, and is at the present time on leave in England on account of his health,
which gave way owing to the rigours of the campaign. J.N Campbell was promoted Lieutenant
on formation of Nuwara Eliya Section. Cotesworth was promoted Captain on his return from
South Africa and Sergeants Shuttleworth and E.I. Thomas, brother of Arthur Thomas, were
gazette to 2nd Lieutenancies.
The latest promotions (to come up to date) are those of Quarter-Master Sergeant J. W. Balfour
Paul to Lieutenant and Quarter-Master and Sergt.W.G.B. Dickson to 2 nd Lieutenant in command
of C.Troop.
W.B.Dickson is the younger brother of two others formally well-known in the Corps, viz;
trumpeter Tom Dickson and trooper Donald Dickson. The former served with the M.I.
Contingent in South Africa, and is now in the service of Orange River Colony.
One of the most prominent supporters of the Corps from its inception was C.I. Davis: who long
held the rank of Color-Sergeant and who received a commission about 1895, and only left us
much to our regret a couple of years since.
Sergt. Burmester, latterly Company, Sergt-Major, took over Color-Sergt. Davis’ regimental work,
on his promotion, and still remains on the roll of the Corps, though at present working in
Travancore on leave.
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Those who still remain

Very few of the original members of 1892 have remained with us to become Mounted Rifles;
but those who have are of the keenest and best. Some I have already referred to are Officers,
and Non-Commissioned Officers, viz: Capt. Cotesworth, Lieuts. E.L.Thomas and H.W.B.Dickson,
and Sergt. Major Burmester. Then Sergt. W.F. Dew, E.M LeFeuvre, Wilson Smith, Sergt-
Trumperter Chas. Northway, Corporal F.H.C.Webster Lance-Corporal J.Thomas, another brother
of Arthur Thomas who served in South Africa, and Troopers Chas, Murland and Brander.
I think this is all: a littler lot, but as good as any O.C. could wish for , and the C.M.R. may well
say: “we want that little long way.”
In 1893, the C.M.I. provided an escort for H.R.H. the Arch-Duke Franz Ferinand of Austria.At
that time the Review Order Dress was scarlet with white and cord pantaloons and long brown
boots long since discarded. The Arch-Duke, who is a sportsman right through, when inspecting
the escort spared his conscience confining his compliment to the Horses.

A splendid thing for Ceylon Volunteering.

The appointment in 1896 of Lt. Colonel Vincent to the command of the C.V. Force is about the
best thing which the Ceylon Government has done for Volunteers in Ceylon.
In 1897 the C.M.I. was represented by a detachment under my command at the Jubilee of the
late Queen.

The Death Roll of the Corps.

In 1900, the Ceylon Mounted Infantry was dispatched to South Africa and took part in the
advance under Lord Roberts to Pretoria, including several important engagements, Driefontein,
Diamond Hill and others, losing Lieut.A.Thomas, Hunter, Acton, Trooper Kelly, (Quarter Master
Sergt.Chyne, Trooper Hopper) and Bell died. Trooper (now Lieut.) Balfour Paul, Trooper
Hammond and Sturdee wounded.
April 12 to 15, 1901 visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York, the C.M.I. presented
with colors, and the returned Troopers with South African Medals.
On February 18 1902, a Memorial Service held in Kandy at St. Paul’s Church and window
erected to memory of fallen comrades of C.M.I unveiled by Sir W. Ridgeway; and medals
presented to returned members of Contingent.
Members of Contingent entertained by their comrades of the C.M.I. and C.P.R.C. May15,
Military Contingents under Lieut. Col. A.J. Farquharson, C.P.R.C. with C.M.I. detachment under
Lieut. Hon. Mr. J.N. Campbell, for H.M. King’s Coronation dispatched to England.

Head-Quarters of Corps, Kandy.

The personnel of the Corps at the present date stands at:-
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Officers: 8
Non-commissioned officers and Men: 146
Capt. G.E. Bayley, Adjutant, 1
th
Instr. T. Bidgood, 4 Dragoon Guards
Sergt. Instructor 1
The change to Mounted Rifles (a very desirable and popular one) has necessitated a re-
establishment.
The District Sections have given place to Troops.
A. Troop, Kandy Commanded by Lieut. E.L. Thomas, Ir. Sergt. Major LeFeuvre, acting.
B. Troop, Hatton and adjoining districts: Capt. Cotesworth, Lieut. Shuttleworth, acting: Ir.
Sergt. Major Dew acting.
C. Troop, Uva and Nuwara Eliya : Lieut. Hon. J.N. Campbell Lieut W.B. Dickson, acting.
D. Troop Colombo, Kelani Valley, Kalutara: Lieut W. Kenny, Ir. Sergt. Major Dyer, acting.
The Corps is now armed with the new shortened Lee Enfield Rifle, and possesses a
Maxim, (pack) gun of the newest type.
Sergt. Instr. T. Bidgood, 4th Dragoon Guards, visits each Troop Head-Quarter once a
month for drill instruction and under his good offices a steady advance in efficiency and
smartness is noticeable.
Essentially a Planters’ Corps.
The Officers commanding the different Regiments stationed in the Colony have
invariably given much valuable aid and instruction at the Annual Camps, and the last
Annual Camp showed about 50 percent of the Mounted Rifles at work, and we intend to
make another record in 1907.
The C.M.R. is essentially a Planters’ Corps, in fact almost “Out Planters’ “ the planters’
Rifle Corps, for of the 660men passed through its ranks since 1892, not more than 5 oer
cent have been other than planters.
It is interesting to note that the gallant and popular C.O. of the Planters’ Rifle Corps, Col.
T.Y. Wright, was originally a Ceylon Mounted Infantry man: one of the first included;
served with both S.A. Contingents and almost, if possible a better commanding officer
than he is a cricket or football exponent.

Colombo a Laggard.

Colombo has supported us grudgingly from the first, but the quality which Colombo is now
giving us, however grudgingly is of the best.
With regard to the war service of the C.M.R. it is interesting to note that at least half of the men
returned with 3 bars on their decoration, and about 30 per cent with five bars; it is further of
interest to note that Lord Kitchner has recorded his appreciation of the then only existing
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Corps, representative of the Ceylon Planters in a letter in which he states that the C.M.I. did
excellent service: were just the sort of men he wanted and only wished he had more of them.
This sir is the kind of record which a Commanding Officer appreciates. It has not been my good
fortune to see active service with the men who have so lavishly given their services to uphold
the best tradition of their race, but my heart and soul was with them, and my eldest son a boy
of 18 served in Cape Colony with the Somerset’s, had been engaged in the Orange Free State
in the Pursuit of De Wet, and lost his life while giving his men a lead over a swollen river:
Dulce et decorum et pro patria mori!
The Record of the C.M.R. is no mean one in the records of the Volunteer service throughout
the history of the empire.

New Ceylon Records among Crown Colonies.

Ceylon is the only Crown Colony which has ever given its assistance to the Empire in a great
war. The C.M.R. is the first Colonial Corps to have received from a British Sovereign, the
distinction of being presented with a Color in recognition of services rendered in the field of
battle. It is well to recall three records, though we of Greater Britain have no sympathy with
Little Englanders; and are, I sincerely believe, inspired with a sense of Imperialism which will
gladly surrender its last and its best in the defence of British Sovereign and the British Empire.