Quartermaster Daniel Whyte (White)

[malcolmthomson]

I have been trying to collect information pertaining to my Great-great Uncle Daniel Whyte (also often spelled White) who was a Quartermaster Sergeant in the 63rd Regiment sometime prior to 1879 and was promoted to being the Quartermaster of the regiment upon the death of Ken Stokes in Bombay, India on January 19th 1879, at which time he was also made an Hon. Lieutenant. The information I have been able to collect so far is very limited, other than he served with the regiment at Kandahar during the 2nd Afghan War and received the Afghan War Medal and also was present in the Egyptian Campaign for which he was awarded both the Egyptian War medal and the Khedive Star at the medal ceremony held at the Tower of London on April 16th 1883 at which time the regiment had already become the 1st battalion, Manchester Regiment.  He was promoted to Hon. Captain in 1889 and retired in 1890

If any member can provide any additional information, such as date and place of joining the 63rd, or other service records I would be deeply grateful, also any regimental photographs of that period would be of immense personal interest.  I am given to understand that at the Museum of the Manchester Regiment there is a silver centrepiece that was presented in 1882 and his name is engraved upon it, also there is a photograph there of the officer's mess taken just prior to the change in regimental structure and naming.  If anyone would have access to this I would love to get a copy of this or any other photograph of a similar period having the same connection.

Hopefully yours,

Malcolm.

[Wendi]

Hi Malcolm and a Warm Welcome to our Forum 

Initially I'll move your post to the "Hello" section and we will see where we go from there.  I have a relative who was a member of the inception of 1st Battalion, so perhaps they knew each other.  Sadly mine did not leave such a trail as Daniel appears to have done for you!

Wendi 

[malcolmthomson]

Thank you Wendi for the welcome.  I am delighted that I came across the Forum and perhaps I shall gain a much better understanding of Daniel Whyte's military career than I presently have though replies to my query.  I live in California, so it is not very easy for me to personally seek out the possible archives that might contain much of the information I hope to obtain.

Cheers,

Malcolm.

[Robert Bonner]

Malcolm, welcome to the forum - and what an interesting ancestor you have. He must have been quite a chap to benefit from that sort of promotion in those days.

There are four mentions of him in volume one of Wylie's history of The Manchester Regiment. He is firstly shown as 2nd Lieutenant QM on the names of officers who accompanied the regiment on service to Afghanistan on 12th August 1880.

He next appears as Lieutenant Quartermaster in 1882 when 1st Manchesters, having served twelve years in India, sailed to Egypt on 22nd August where it was intended to form part of a force for the defence of Ismailia.  This campaign quickly came to an end and the battalion sailed on to the UK on 21st October  arriving there on 2nd November.

On 14th October 1883, the 1st Battalion, now quartered in the Tower of London,were presented with the Bronze Stars awarded by the Khedive of Egypt for this last  campaign. "In the centre a table laden with the Stars under the charge of Quartermaster D White, who has followed the fortunes of the Regiment through the last two campaigns in which the Regiment has been engaged." He received his personal Star on that occasion.

In the museum there is a magnificent silver centrepiece of the old 63rd Regiment but there are no names of any individuals engraved on this. I will send you a photograph of this in the near future. Also that of the officers mess dining table.

[malcolmthomson]

Dear Robert,
Thank you for your most appreciated reply.  I look forward with great anticipation to receiving your kind offer to send me the photographs you mention.  As for my statement that I understood that my Great-great Uncle's name appeared on the silver centrepiece, it is based upon an e-mail I received from a David Hopkins of the Museum of the Manchester Regiment which reads "In our museum is a silver centrepiece made for the officer's mess.  It was finished in 1882 and is thought to have been commissioned to preserve the traditions of the 63rd Regiment on the occasion of its becoming the 1st Battalion The Manchester Regiment.  QM Daniel Whyte's name is actually engraved on the piece."
I shall take pride and pleasure from adding to my Family History all the information that you may come across.

Gratefully Yours,

Malcolm.

[Robert Bonner]

Malcolm.
Glad that you found the information helpful.  My mistake regarding the name on the centrepiece.  It is exhibited behind glass panels and I certainly did not realise there were any names - but that I will rectify.

Best wishes.

Robert

[malcolmthomson]

When I was a young boy living in Ireland my Grandmother, Helen Whyte, mentioned to me that after Daniel Whyte had retired from the army (1890) she was introduced to him in Glasgow by her husband, my Grandfather, John Brown Whyte and that Daniel had stated that one of the most interesting duties that he was involved in while in Afghanistan with the 63rd Regiment was to go into the country surrounding Kandahar with a couple of Afghan interpreters and sit down with the local chiefs to discuss the gathering and purchasing of fodder primarily for the horses employed by the army camp situated on the outskirts of the city.  This may also explain why in the Scottish 1901 Census he is listed under occupation as Hay and Grain Merchant.  Perhaps gaining his experience from those earlier years on service.

Malcolm.