Photograph and Uniform Details.
Drum Sergeant William Drinkwater shows the following dates of rank, campaign service, and army appointments related to his 27 years 283 days (1868-1896) service in the British Army: [1]
William Drinkwater, age 14 years, was enlisted in the 92nd Highlanders at Westminster on the 23rd of April 1868 by Sergeant Major W. Haynes of the regiment. His place of birth appears to be unknown as none is listed on his Soldiers Documents. His mother was listed as Mrs. Henrietta Drinkwater of Thomburgh near Buckingham England. She was later listed as deceased with no date given. He was assigned the regimental number 1962.
William's physical description on enlistment shows that he was 4 feet 6 ½ inches tall, had a fair complexion, hazel eyes, brown hair, and a scar in the center of his forehead.
His medical record shows a moderate list of the frequently found complaints of Victorian period service men and includes fevers, contusions, and venereal disease. Treatment for these various medical conditions involved a total of 116 days during his period of military service.
William Drinkwater was appointed to Drummer on the 26th of August 1868. Twice over the period of the next year he was imprisoned for the period of one day by the Commanding Officer of the 92nd Highlanders, Lieutenant Colonel Christian Monteith Hamilton. His offense is not listed. What ever transpired between the young Drummer Drinkwater and his commanding officer must have had a lasting impact, as he was to never have any other brushes with military authority during the rest of his entire period of service.
William Drinkwater was involved with drumming throughout his service. Drummer Drinkwater received his first Good Conduct pay on the 24th of April 1873 and would receive regular good conduct pays throughout his service. On the 24th of April 1890 he was in possession of his fifth Good Conduct pay. He was promoted to Lance Corporal on the 22 nd of February 1878, Corporal of the 3rd of November 1879, Lance Sergeant on the 30th of January 1882, and to Sergeant Drummer on the 10th of May 1882. William Drinkwater would finish his service as the Drum Sergeant of the Gordon Highlanders.
William Drinkwater's overseas and campaign service includes the following. He was in India from the 29th of January 1874 to the 30 th of March 1879, a total of five years and sixty-one days. He served in the 2nd Afghan War from the 31st of March 1879 to the 18th of October 1880, earning the 2nd Afghan War Medal with three clasps for Charasia, Kabul, and Kandahar. He also earned the Kabul to Kandahar Star. He then served another 103 days in India from the 19th of October 1880 to the 29th of January 1881 when the regiment moved from India to the Cape Colony, South Africa. During his stay in South Africa from the 30th of January 1881 to the 29 th of January 1882 the Gordon Highlanders were to be involved in the 1st Boer War of 1881. The regiment suffered 122 casualties, with 45 killed at the Battle of Majuba Mountain on the 27th of February 1881. The regiment was to head for home on the 30th of January 1882 after two wars and eight years overseas.
On the 25th of May 1883, Drum Sergeant William Drinkwater married Catherine McLean at Edinburgh. They were to have four children, Henrietta Mary, born the 21st of April 1884, James William, born on the 8th of November 1886, Jessy Carolina, born on the 16 th of December 1888, and John David, born on the 6th of June 1895.
Drum Sergeant Drinkwater claimed his discharge after three months notice on the 31st of January 1896. He had served a total of 27 years 283 days in the British Army. After his leaving the service, Drum Sergeant Drinkwater's services would be further recognized with the awarding of an non-immediate Meritorious Service Medal and a 10 pound annuity on the 14th of December 1907. He apparently died about 1925 as his name does not appear on the annuity roll after this date.