A SMALL SELECTION OF PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE ALBUM HAVE BEEN UPLOADED TO THE WEBSITE.
Cover of album slightly scuffed, but the contents generally in good condition, the photographic images generally clear and crisp. A LARGE AND IMPRESSIVE ALBUM (WEIGHT 3 KILOS APPROX.)
Album accompanied by biographical details and extract Home Guard List 1941, confirming that Miskin saw service with the Second Dorset (Dorchester) Battalion, Dorset Division, Home Guard.
The photograph and scrap album containing over 60 monochrome photographs (these mostly large size and generally 9 inches x 6 inches, horizontal, approx.), along with a fascinating selection of various ephemera, newspaper cuttings, etc. The various photographs (all large size unless otherwise stated) including a good view of boys playing cricket on the lawn of Temple Grove School, East Sheen, 1899, dressed in whites; a group photograph of eight schoolboys, some in or partly in military uniform, seated and standing outside a field tent, Miskin in uniform standing back row, extreme left, at the Public Schools Camp, Bradfield, August 1902; two good group photographs of officer cadets at Sandhurst, 1905, standing around a horse artillery field gun, Miskin present in both; a photograph of the Regimental mess silver and plate of the 2nd Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment, taken at Multan, Punjab, 1906; a group photograph of the officers and sergeants of the 2nd Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment's football team, taken at Khanspur, Murree, 1906, Miskin seated middle row, second from right; five good views of various units marching past on the parade ground at Multan, 1906, including the 2nd Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment, 27th Cavalry, 27th Punjabis, 84th Punjabis, and a battery of heavy artillery; two fine group photographs of the British and native officers of the 120th Rajputana Infantry, taken at Baroda, circa 1907 (both with attached lists identifying all the officers, native and British, Miskin present in both photographs); a group photograph of Miskin with his polo pony, pet dogs and six private servants; seven various portrait photographs of Miskin with his polo ponies; two group photographs of officers and ladies standing on a veranda (officers in civilian clothes) at the Dibrugarh Races, Assam, 1909; two good group photographs of British and Indian officers and n.c.o's at the School of Musketry, Satara, 1911; a good view of the 120th Rajputana Infantry, in service uniform, marching past in quarter column on the parade ground at Belgaum, 1912; three group photographs of the male and female members of the vaudeville cast of the amateur dramatic society, all taken at Belgaum, circa 1913, Miskin present in two but apparently not featuring in the third; a group photograph of the Gaekwar of Baroda in the company of various officers and their wives at the races, Baroda, 1908; the smaller photographs, these mostly 4 inches x 3 inches horizontal approx. The selection of ephemera, newspaper cuttings, etc., include a 4 page illustrated printed programme for the Regimental Day Pageant of the 120th Rajputana Infantry, held at Belgaum, 11th - 12th March 1912 (which included a re-enactment of the Battle of Bushaira, 1856), 120th Rajputana Rifles Christmas card, 1913, a telegram from Miskin, Kut via Basra, dated 1st April 1916, to his sister in England, with brief message "Still going strong - Miskin", a second telegram dated 1st June 1916 from the India Office Casualty Section to Miskin's sister, Mrs Serres, reporting Miskin prisoner of war following the fall of Kut el Amara, extracts from a "Roll of Honour" newspaper cutting listing the 200 British and Indian Army officers taken prisoner at Kut el Amara, 6 various Turkish Red Crescent prisoner of war postcards, all unused, with manuscript note by Miskin "postcards issued by the Turks to prisoners-or-war for writing home 1916-1918", a post-war printed letter of greeting from King George V on Buckingham Palace headed notepaper, dated 1918, which reads in part "The Queen joins me in welcoming you on your release from the miseries and hardships which you have endured with so much patience and courage. During these many months of trial, the early rescue of our gallant Officers and Men from the cruelties of their captivity has been uppermost in our thoughts. .. .. ", along with an 8 page printed programme for a service to commemorate the Siege at Kut el Amara "And those who fell during its defence and captivity" (circa 1919 vintage)
William Lancelot Miskin (1886-1950) was born 4th April 1886 in Sidcup, Kent, the son of William and Ella Miskin. He was first commissioned 2nd Lieutenant, North Staffordshire Regiment, 24th January 1906, and transferred to the 119th Infantry (The Mooltan Regiment), Indian Army, on 20th March 1907, being attached to the 120th Rajputana Infantry on the same day. He was promoted Lieutenant, 24th April 1908 (Adjutant 21st October 1911 to 21st October 1915), Captain, 24th January 1915 and Major, 24th January 1921. Miskin was appointed Officiating Second in Command of the 120th Rajputana Infantry on 24th January 1921 whilst Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel E.P. Mainwaring-White was on leave (previously Miskin had been the regiment's Senior Company Commander), and retired from the Indian Army on 22nd March 1924.
Miskin first saw active service during the First World War, 14th November 1914 to 31st October 1918, with the 120th Rajputana Infantry, when he took part in the operations in Mesopotamia, being taken prisoner of war at Kut-el-Amara. The 120th Rajputana Infantry was a mixed composition regiment, comprising two companies of Rajputana Gujars, two of Mers, two of Rajputana Rajputs and two of Hindustani Musalmans. The regiment was at Belgaum when war was declared, forming part of the 18th (Belgaum) Brigade, in 6th Poona Division. The battalion was ordered to mobilise on 31st August, with the original intention that it would form part of "A Force" for service in France and Flanders. These orders were later cancelled and the battalion remained at Belgaum till October 1914, when, on 31st October, the battalion again received orders to mobilise, sailing on 6th November from Bombay for Mesopotamia aboard the transports Erinpura and Ekima. The transports reached the mouth of the Shat-al-Arab on the evening of 14th November, the battalion disembarking at Sanniya on 15th November. Leading elements of the 6th Poona Division, comprising the 16th Brigade, had by now already seen action during the landing at Fao, 6th November, and the affair of Saihan, 15th November. During the remainder of 1914 and 1915 the 6th Poona Division as a whole took part in the Occupation of Basra, 22nd November 1914, the first action near Qurna, 4th - 8th December, the Occupation of Qurna, 9th December, the Battle of Shaiba, 12th - 14th April 1915, the second action of Qurna, 31st May, the Occupation of Amara, 3rd June, the Battle of Qut el Amara, 28th September, the Battle of Ctesiphon, 22nd - 24th November, and the Affair of Umm at Tubul. After the action at Um at Tubul it was decided to retreat before the advancing Turks, their retirement to Kut el Amara being completed on 3rd December 1915, which was promptly besieged by the Turks. Miskin is mentioned on a number of occasions in the regimental history, in particular for the operations near Qurna, 6th - 8th December 1914 "Captain Macready was severely wounded. Lieutenant Miskin took over Captain Macready's Double Company, and acting with great boldness iniated a counter-attack which drove the enemy out of their trenches. As they retired they were caught by our machine guns and severely handled". For his services on this occasion Miskin was Mentioned in Dispatches "Lieutenant and Adjutant W.L. Miskin. Showed great dash and capacity. After Captain Macready was wounded he took over that officer's Double Company and handled it well, having twice to change direction to meet enfilading fire, and on each occasion he succeeded on turning out the enemy". Miskin's Mention in Dispatches eventually led to the award of the Military Cross, the first decoration awarded to a European officer of the regiment during the First World War (Subedar Dunga Rawat had previous won the Indian Order of Merit, 2nd class, for an act of gallantry at Muzaira, 7th December 1914), and one of only two Military Crosses awarded to the regiment for that conflict. Miskin is further mentioned in the regimental history for his services at the siege of Kut-el-Amara "On the morning of December 3rd the weary troops marched into Kut. The men lay down and slept where they were, without waiting for food or water. Colonel Codrington, who's health had been bad throughout the campaign, collapsed and went into hospital. Major Pocock, early in the retreat, had been temporarily transferred to command his old regiment, the 119th, and the command of the 120th devolved for the time being on Captain Miskin. At 11am on the 4th Captain Miskin received orders from General Hamilton to take Yakasub. Major Pocock also came over at that time and resumed command." Miskin was subsequently mentioned in General Townsend's dispatches for the siege of Kut-el-Amara "Captain W.L. Miskin. An officer of naked ability and resource, and has been of the greatest assistance to his Commanding Officer. He drew out the original plan for the defence of Woolpress Village" (Woolpress Village, defended by the 120th Rajputanas, was a bridgehead on the opposite bank of the Tigris from Kut, the most exposed position in the Kut garrison's defensive network). The garrison at Kut el Amara surrendered to the Turks on 29th April 1916. The siege, which had begun on 3rd December 1915, lasted for 146 days, was up to then a record for either the British or Indian armies (the longest previous being Ladysmith during the Boer War, which was relieved after 120 days). Miskin's regiment received much praise for their services at Kut. General Townsend, the besieged garrison's Commanding Officer, described the 120th Rajputanas as "a good regiment, imbued throughout with an excellent spirit. It has held throughout the siege the most exposed quarter of Yakasub village at close quarters with the enemy, and has been distinguished, not only by steadfast endurance, but by frequent gallant enterprises against the enemy. Four months of ceaseless vigilance and continuous work under fire have not diminished the fine spirit of the regiment." Sir Percy Lake, the Commander of the Army in Mesopotamia, in his dispatch drew particular attention to the "conspicuous fine conduct of the 120th Infantry during the siege of Kut, of which they, with the 7th Rajputs, the 103rd and 110th, may well be called the sheet anchor". The 120th Rajputana Rifles lost one British officer and 35 Indian other ranks killed in action during the siege of Kut-el-Amara, 3rd December 1914-29th April 1915, along with one British officer, one Indian officer and 51 Indian other ranks and six followers died of disease and one British officer, two Indian officers and 74 Indian other ranks and one follower wounded in action. When the battalion surrendered it comprised six British officers, eleven Indian officers and 470 Indian other ranks and followers. Of these, one British officer and 117 Indian other ranks and followers died in Turkish captivity (roughly 25% of those captured). On 5th May 1915 the officers, including Miskin, were separated from their men and boarded a Turkish steamer for the first stage of their 1700 mile voyage to the Turkish prisoner of war camp at Kastamuni on the Black Sea coast. The Muslim Indian other ranks and officers of Miskin's regiment were particularly badly treated by the Turks because they refused to renounce their oath of allegiance and fight for the Turks.
For his services during the First World War Miskin was awarded the Military Cross and mentioned in dispatches 5th April and 19th October 1916.
Miskin subsequently saw active service in Afghanistan in 1919 and after retiring from the army in 1924 settled in Dorset, England.
Major Miskin’s medals (full size and miniature) comprising Military Cross, 1914-15 Star trio (M.I.D. Oakleaf on Victory Medal), India General Service Medal 1908 with Afghanistan NWF 1919 clasp, Defence Medal and Delhi Durbar Medal were sold by Mealy’s of Castlecomer, Ireland (lot 150, 23/10/2024). Miskin's medal group sold for €2,500 (€3,200 including auctioneer's fees, etc).
