Infantry Battalions in Aden 1883-1908

 

During the period under review there was normally one British and one Indian infantry battalion stationed in Aden. The latter was usually at full strength (about 800 all ranks) whilst some of the former left one double company in India and came to Aden at about 500 strong. Other battalions averaged around 650.

 

At this time Indian battalions had few British officers, the number varying between 5 and 9, plus around 15 Indian officers. British battalions, on the other hand, came to Aden with around 22 officers, some battalions coming with only 17 or so, having left more than their fair share in India.

 

For British battalions a posting to Aden was traditionally for the last year of a long tour in India, units normally changing over around  November each year during the cooler months of the trooping season. Aden has been described as a ‘punishment station’ for British battalions. In one or two instances that may be correct, but someone has suggested that it was a ‘punishment’ for being a rather unfashionable regiment, without the senior generals to steer one to one of the more comfortable stations around the world!

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The reader will notice that between 1903 and 1907 there were additional battalions in Aden. This was because of the extra units needed in the hinterland to support the British element of the joint Anglo-Turkish Boundary Commission. The Royal Dublin Fusiliers and the Hampshires were each retained for an extra six months or more over their one year. 

 

As can be seen in the table below the Indian battalions came to Aden for two years, always from within the Bombay Presidency. The Indian battalion had to find a number of detachments: 50, later 30, men on Perim and for many years a sizeable detachment in British Somaliland, anything from 100 to 200 men.

 

The Table below shows which units were in Aden on 31st March of the year concerned. The Table will be updated as and when the ‘not knowns’ are identified.