Richard Wapshare

Richard was born on January 1860 as the final son of William Henry and Emma Elizabeth in Ooty.[1] He began his education in Germany and in February 1880, became a gazetted lieutenant in the Royal Marine Light Infantry but was transferred to the British Indian Army on November 1882 as part of the 14th Native Infantry of the Bombay Army. [1]In 1884, he transferred to the Hyderabad Contingent which is where he would remain for the rest of his regimental service. After completion of said service, he served the 4th and later 3rd Cavalry Regiments and participated in the Third Anglo-Burmese War.[1]

In 1906, he was Assistant Adjutant-General at Army Headquarters at Simla and remained there until 1910 when he was assigned to the Saugor Cavalry School. In 1912 he joined the Secunderabad Cavalry and in the same year, transferred to the Bangalore Brigade.[1] When World War I broke out, Wapshare was assigned to the East African campaign as part of the Indian Expeditionary Force and participated in the Battle of Tanga but the battle ended in a British defeat.[2][3] He was described by Richard Meinertzhagen as a "dear fatherly old gentleman, kind and considerate" but "he has little military instinct and is nervous of all responsibility, maybe because he is hopelessly ignorant on all subjects connected to his profession."[4] Wapshare then participated in the Battle of Jassin only to end in another British defeat.[1] He later participated in the Operations against the Marri and Khetran tribes and the Third Anglo-Afghan War[5] and retired in 1925. He later died in December 23, 1932 in Cheltenham.[1]