Individual Details
Harold Edward Templer
(20 Apr 1892 - 16 Oct 1957)
Details from John Connell Templer
Professional soldier in Burma with the rank of Captain (possibly with the Gurkhas). Emigrated to Kenya in 1925 (actually 1923) and married Aileen
Became farm apprentice at Soy growing sisal and cattle
Became farm manager at Ngogeri Farm at Njoro, the farm belonging to Lord Edgeton of Tatten
Eric Hudson bought Ol' Mara at Subukia and the Templers joined them
On the death of Eric Hudson, Aileen inherited the farm
During 1939-1945, Harold joined the East African Service Corp. He was seconded to the Military Police and was head MP for Nairobi.
After the war returned to Ol' Mara and seemed to prosper.
Aileen had a heart attack in 1950 and because of the high altitude they sold the farm
Tried chicken farming but this failed.
Joined the African Land Development ALDEV.
Obtained leave and returned to England- Died after a short illness
John Connell Templer c. Sept 1988
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Details from Michael James Templer
Here is what I know about your Grandfather. He was born in Auckland New Zealand on 20th April 1893, the only child of Francis Templer and Cherie nee Connell. Francis Templer was, I think, a bank manager. Harold was sent to school in England in his early teens and was educated at St. Edward's Oxford. He took up a post as a clerk in the New Zealand Insurance Company branch in London which was managed at the time by my mother's father Eric ? Hudson. (I haven't got the family tree to hand). He started taking an interest in the Territorial Army which he joined in about 1910. He was commissioned into either the Buffs or the Middlesex Regiment (Yes) in about 1913 (21.03.1914).
In 1915 he transferred to the Indian Army and served with I think the Fourth Gurkhas (actually 11th) and saw action in Mesopotamia (now Iraq) and was engaged in fighting the Turks. He was wounded in this action and was unaware of the fact at the time but carried a spent bullet around in his back for the rest of his life.
He served in the Afghan Wars of 1919 - I have no information as to what part he took in this. In about 1922 the Indian and British Army were subject to enormous reductions - the Geddes Act. At that time if you were a regular officer in the Indian Army you could accept yourgratuity as a farm in Kenya. This is what he did. In 1923 he married Aileen Hudson, my mother, in Trans Nzoia somewhere (it might have been Kitale) . They moved to Subukia and Grandfather Hudson and his son John (Domini - Sybil's husband) lived with us.
I joined the family in 1933 - the fourth of five brothers - your father David was the second.
In 1939 he joined the Army again in the rank of 2nd Lieutenant and rose to the rank of Major in the Military Police and saw service in Somalia, Eritrea and Madagascar, and in what was then Northern and Southern Rhodesia.
He returned to Subukia in 1946 and continued to farm there until about 1950 when his health and that of Aileen demanded that they move down to a lower altitude and they had a beach plot at Diani (imagine what that would be worth now!). He worked intermittently for the Government as a Livestock Officer and was sent by the Government to England because of his health. He died in St. Thomas' Hospital (where I had just completed my training) of severe emphysema as a result of life-long heavy smoking. He was cremated at Golders Green. He died in 1957.
Aileen returned to Kenya and lived with my brother John at Bungoma where she died almost exactly a year later in 1958 just before Catherinewas born in Jan. 1959.
In about 1955 during the Mau Mau Insurrection he was attacked by fiveterrorists who he fought off with a big beer bottle but as a result Aileen had another heart attack. The five offenders were subsequently caught an executed.
This is all I can think of for the moment. If you think of any questions please let me know. Jane is thinking of doing some research at the India Office and or the Public Record office when we are next in England.
Michael James Templer. 02.01.2001
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Military Records
b. 20th April 1892
Commissioned into the 10th Battalion, The Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment) Cadet Lance-Corporal Harold Edward Templer from the University of London Contingent, Senior Division, Officer Training Corp as Second Lieutenant Dated 21st March 1914. (London Gazette 20 March 1914)
Arrived in India 1st December 1914.
Promoted to temporary Lieutenant on the same date (London Gazette 28th June 1915)
2nd Lt. (temp Lt.) promoted Lt., with precedence as from 26th Aug 1914. 1st Dec 1914 (London Gazette 5th May 1916)
Temp Capt. from the 1st Aug 1916 (London Gazette 17th November 1916)
Lt. (temp Capt.) H. E Templer to be Capt. with precedence from 1st June 1916. 10th May 1917 (London Gazette 9th May 1917)
Admission to the Indian Army on probation as Lieutenant - Capt. Harold Edward Templer (Middlesex Regiment) 18th Sept. 1918 but to rank from 5th May 1916 (London Gazette 25th March 1919)
The Indian Army List for July 1919 shows that he was posted to the 1st battalion 11th Gurkha rifles
Substantive Captain 5th May 1919
Admitted to the Indian Army on probation 18 Sep 1919 (London Gazette)
Capt (acting Maj) relinquishes his acting rank on ceasing to be second in command of the Bat (1/11 Gurkha Rifles) 28 Sept 1919 (London Gazette - 20 Apr 1920)
Certified Instructor in Army Signalling
His Unit appointment is given as: Adjt 4th battalion 70th Chin Rifles located at Maymyo Burma
(20th Infantry Group comprised:
1st Battalion 70th Burma Rifles ( 2 Coys Burmans, 2 Coys Shans] located in Mandalay
2nd Battalion 70th Burma Rifles ( 2 Coys Burmans, 2 Coys Karens] located in Malay States
3rd Battalion 70th Kachin Rifles located in Maymyo
4th Battalion 70th Chin Rifles located in Maymyo
Training Battalion located in Meiktila
Captain Templer does not appear in the India Army list after 1923
Appointed 2nd Lt. in Royal Army Service Corp ACF Section 10th Jun 1940 (London Gazette 2nd May 1944)
Relinquished command War Subs. Capt. H E Templer and is granted the hon. rank of Maj. 12th June 1946 (London Gazette 15th Nov 1946)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Born in Auckland, New Zealand in 1892. Came to England in 1906 and was educated at St Edward's School, Oxford. Entered London office of the New Zealand Insurance Company. in 1912. Went to India as a subaltern in the 10th Battn, Middlesex Regiment in 1914 and serve in Mesopotamia in 1916/17. Transferred to Regular Indian Army in 1918 and served with the 11th Gurkha Rifles in Afghanistan in 1919. Transferred to 20th Burma Rifles in 1921 and resigned in 1923. Since then farming in Kenya Colony. Married at Kitale in 1925, Aileen Hudson, daughter of Eric Pollard Hudson, London manager of the New Zealand Insurance Company.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Details from Simon Acland Templer
Dr Mick wrote that in the early fifties your grandparents moved to a plot at Diani. That is not quite correct. The plot was at Tiwi, a small place half way between Mombasa and the holiday resort area of Diani. It was while they were there that I had occasion to actually visit them so I know that I am correct in that respect. There, they established a poultry farm with a view to supplying the Mombasa market. Unfortunately the venture was a failure, so I heard, due to the unexpected fact the whole area was infested with snakes which ate the chickens in large numbers. Their farm fronted the sea shore which meant that it was very largely composed of the typical dead black coral and scrubby bush so ideal for snakes. I think it was your uncle Richard who told meall that.
In about 1938 our family, then living in Mombasa, took a holiday up in Malindi at Lawfords Hotel, the main hotel there in those days. It transpired that there was another family of Templers staying there at the same time, quite unknown to us and naturally the two families got talking to establish who we all were and if at all related. At that time the 'other' Templers were farming at Sabukia but a friendship was established, of course. The relationship was not immediately established but upon return to Mombasa, my father researched it all against the Tree he then had and found out that the 'other' Templers were the long lost senior line and, of course, very distantly related. Harold, I believe, did not even know himself that he was at that time the senior Templer of the surviving lines from Alexander, being the eldest son of the eldest son of the eldest son, etc, down to the present time.
Simon Acland Templer ? Aug 2007
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Name: Harold TEMPLER
Date of departure: 2 November 1928
Port of departure: Southampton
Passenger destination port: Mombasa, Kenya
Passenger destination: Mombasa, Kenya
Age: 36
Marital Status: Married
Sex: Male
Occupation: Farmer
Passenger recorded on: Page 4 of 6
The following people with the same last name travelled on this voyage: -
Aileen TEMPLER Aged 28
David TEMPLER Aged 9/12mths
John TEMPLER 3
Ship: TANGANJIKA
Official Number: 0
Master's name: C Windhorst
Steamship Line: Hamburg-American
Where bound: Durban (Port Natal), South Africa
Registered tonnage: 8540
Passengers on voyage: 141
Professional soldier in Burma with the rank of Captain (possibly with the Gurkhas). Emigrated to Kenya in 1925 (actually 1923) and married Aileen
Became farm apprentice at Soy growing sisal and cattle
Became farm manager at Ngogeri Farm at Njoro, the farm belonging to Lord Edgeton of Tatten
Eric Hudson bought Ol' Mara at Subukia and the Templers joined them
On the death of Eric Hudson, Aileen inherited the farm
During 1939-1945, Harold joined the East African Service Corp. He was seconded to the Military Police and was head MP for Nairobi.
After the war returned to Ol' Mara and seemed to prosper.
Aileen had a heart attack in 1950 and because of the high altitude they sold the farm
Tried chicken farming but this failed.
Joined the African Land Development ALDEV.
Obtained leave and returned to England- Died after a short illness
John Connell Templer c. Sept 1988
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Details from Michael James Templer
Here is what I know about your Grandfather. He was born in Auckland New Zealand on 20th April 1893, the only child of Francis Templer and Cherie nee Connell. Francis Templer was, I think, a bank manager. Harold was sent to school in England in his early teens and was educated at St. Edward's Oxford. He took up a post as a clerk in the New Zealand Insurance Company branch in London which was managed at the time by my mother's father Eric ? Hudson. (I haven't got the family tree to hand). He started taking an interest in the Territorial Army which he joined in about 1910. He was commissioned into either the Buffs or the Middlesex Regiment (Yes) in about 1913 (21.03.1914).
In 1915 he transferred to the Indian Army and served with I think the Fourth Gurkhas (actually 11th) and saw action in Mesopotamia (now Iraq) and was engaged in fighting the Turks. He was wounded in this action and was unaware of the fact at the time but carried a spent bullet around in his back for the rest of his life.
He served in the Afghan Wars of 1919 - I have no information as to what part he took in this. In about 1922 the Indian and British Army were subject to enormous reductions - the Geddes Act. At that time if you were a regular officer in the Indian Army you could accept yourgratuity as a farm in Kenya. This is what he did. In 1923 he married Aileen Hudson, my mother, in Trans Nzoia somewhere (it might have been Kitale) . They moved to Subukia and Grandfather Hudson and his son John (Domini - Sybil's husband) lived with us.
I joined the family in 1933 - the fourth of five brothers - your father David was the second.
In 1939 he joined the Army again in the rank of 2nd Lieutenant and rose to the rank of Major in the Military Police and saw service in Somalia, Eritrea and Madagascar, and in what was then Northern and Southern Rhodesia.
He returned to Subukia in 1946 and continued to farm there until about 1950 when his health and that of Aileen demanded that they move down to a lower altitude and they had a beach plot at Diani (imagine what that would be worth now!). He worked intermittently for the Government as a Livestock Officer and was sent by the Government to England because of his health. He died in St. Thomas' Hospital (where I had just completed my training) of severe emphysema as a result of life-long heavy smoking. He was cremated at Golders Green. He died in 1957.
Aileen returned to Kenya and lived with my brother John at Bungoma where she died almost exactly a year later in 1958 just before Catherinewas born in Jan. 1959.
In about 1955 during the Mau Mau Insurrection he was attacked by fiveterrorists who he fought off with a big beer bottle but as a result Aileen had another heart attack. The five offenders were subsequently caught an executed.
This is all I can think of for the moment. If you think of any questions please let me know. Jane is thinking of doing some research at the India Office and or the Public Record office when we are next in England.
Michael James Templer. 02.01.2001
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Military Records
b. 20th April 1892
Commissioned into the 10th Battalion, The Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment) Cadet Lance-Corporal Harold Edward Templer from the University of London Contingent, Senior Division, Officer Training Corp as Second Lieutenant Dated 21st March 1914. (London Gazette 20 March 1914)
Arrived in India 1st December 1914.
Promoted to temporary Lieutenant on the same date (London Gazette 28th June 1915)
2nd Lt. (temp Lt.) promoted Lt., with precedence as from 26th Aug 1914. 1st Dec 1914 (London Gazette 5th May 1916)
Temp Capt. from the 1st Aug 1916 (London Gazette 17th November 1916)
Lt. (temp Capt.) H. E Templer to be Capt. with precedence from 1st June 1916. 10th May 1917 (London Gazette 9th May 1917)
Admission to the Indian Army on probation as Lieutenant - Capt. Harold Edward Templer (Middlesex Regiment) 18th Sept. 1918 but to rank from 5th May 1916 (London Gazette 25th March 1919)
The Indian Army List for July 1919 shows that he was posted to the 1st battalion 11th Gurkha rifles
Substantive Captain 5th May 1919
Admitted to the Indian Army on probation 18 Sep 1919 (London Gazette)
Capt (acting Maj) relinquishes his acting rank on ceasing to be second in command of the Bat (1/11 Gurkha Rifles) 28 Sept 1919 (London Gazette - 20 Apr 1920)
Certified Instructor in Army Signalling
His Unit appointment is given as: Adjt 4th battalion 70th Chin Rifles located at Maymyo Burma
(20th Infantry Group comprised:
1st Battalion 70th Burma Rifles ( 2 Coys Burmans, 2 Coys Shans] located in Mandalay
2nd Battalion 70th Burma Rifles ( 2 Coys Burmans, 2 Coys Karens] located in Malay States
3rd Battalion 70th Kachin Rifles located in Maymyo
4th Battalion 70th Chin Rifles located in Maymyo
Training Battalion located in Meiktila
Captain Templer does not appear in the India Army list after 1923
Appointed 2nd Lt. in Royal Army Service Corp ACF Section 10th Jun 1940 (London Gazette 2nd May 1944)
Relinquished command War Subs. Capt. H E Templer and is granted the hon. rank of Maj. 12th June 1946 (London Gazette 15th Nov 1946)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Born in Auckland, New Zealand in 1892. Came to England in 1906 and was educated at St Edward's School, Oxford. Entered London office of the New Zealand Insurance Company. in 1912. Went to India as a subaltern in the 10th Battn, Middlesex Regiment in 1914 and serve in Mesopotamia in 1916/17. Transferred to Regular Indian Army in 1918 and served with the 11th Gurkha Rifles in Afghanistan in 1919. Transferred to 20th Burma Rifles in 1921 and resigned in 1923. Since then farming in Kenya Colony. Married at Kitale in 1925, Aileen Hudson, daughter of Eric Pollard Hudson, London manager of the New Zealand Insurance Company.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Details from Simon Acland Templer
Dr Mick wrote that in the early fifties your grandparents moved to a plot at Diani. That is not quite correct. The plot was at Tiwi, a small place half way between Mombasa and the holiday resort area of Diani. It was while they were there that I had occasion to actually visit them so I know that I am correct in that respect. There, they established a poultry farm with a view to supplying the Mombasa market. Unfortunately the venture was a failure, so I heard, due to the unexpected fact the whole area was infested with snakes which ate the chickens in large numbers. Their farm fronted the sea shore which meant that it was very largely composed of the typical dead black coral and scrubby bush so ideal for snakes. I think it was your uncle Richard who told meall that.
In about 1938 our family, then living in Mombasa, took a holiday up in Malindi at Lawfords Hotel, the main hotel there in those days. It transpired that there was another family of Templers staying there at the same time, quite unknown to us and naturally the two families got talking to establish who we all were and if at all related. At that time the 'other' Templers were farming at Sabukia but a friendship was established, of course. The relationship was not immediately established but upon return to Mombasa, my father researched it all against the Tree he then had and found out that the 'other' Templers were the long lost senior line and, of course, very distantly related. Harold, I believe, did not even know himself that he was at that time the senior Templer of the surviving lines from Alexander, being the eldest son of the eldest son of the eldest son, etc, down to the present time.
Simon Acland Templer ? Aug 2007
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Name: Harold TEMPLER
Date of departure: 2 November 1928
Port of departure: Southampton
Passenger destination port: Mombasa, Kenya
Passenger destination: Mombasa, Kenya
Age: 36
Marital Status: Married
Sex: Male
Occupation: Farmer
Passenger recorded on: Page 4 of 6
The following people with the same last name travelled on this voyage: -
Aileen TEMPLER Aged 28
David TEMPLER Aged 9/12mths
John TEMPLER 3
Ship: TANGANJIKA
Official Number: 0
Master's name: C Windhorst
Steamship Line: Hamburg-American
Where bound: Durban (Port Natal), South Africa
Registered tonnage: 8540
Passengers on voyage: 141
Events
| Birth | 20 Apr 1892 | Auckland, New Zealand | |||
| Residence-shared | 1911 | (Francis Henry "Frank" Templer) Retired Bank Manager with pension - Malborough Terrace, Mill Street, Kidlington, Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom |  | ||
| Residence | 2 Apr 1911 | Age: 18; MaritalStatus: Single; RelationToHead: Son - Kidlington, Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom | |||
| Military service | 1914 - 1918 | WW1 @ WW2 | |||
| Military | 21 Mar 1914 | 2nd Lieutenant 1st/10th Battalion, The Middlesex Regiment - London Gazette | |||
| Military | 1 Dec 1914 | ||||
| Military | 5 May 1916 | Second Lieutentant to Lieutentant - London Gazette | |||
| Military | 17 Nov 1916 | ||||
| Military | Feb 1919 | Nowshera, North-West Frontier, Pakistan | |||
| Military | 25 Mar 1919 | Transfer to Indian Army with the rank of Lieutentant - London Gazette | |||
| Military | 24 Oct 1919 | Lieutenant to Captain - London Gazette | |||
| Military | Abt 1920 | Awarded The 1915 Star, The British War Medal & The Victory Medal | |||
| Military | 20 Apr 1920 | Relinquishes temporary rank of Major - London Gazette | |||
| Military | Abt 1921 | 4th/70th Battalion, The Burma Rifles | |||
| Military | 6 Jul 1923 | Retired from Army - London Gazette | |||
| Marriage | 4 Apr 1925 | Kitale, Rift Valley, Kenya - Aileen Hudson | |||
| Military | 10 Jan 1940 | W.S./Lieutenant (War Substantive) - Kenya | |||
| Military | 15 Feb 1945 | W.S./Captain - Temp Major 15 Feb 1945 - Kenya | |||
| Departure | Abt 1 Jun 1957 | SS Braemar Castle - Mombasa, Kenya | |||
| Arrival | 18 Jun 1957 | SS Braemar Castle, London, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom | |||
| Death | 16 Oct 1957 | St Thomas Hospital,, Lambeth, Surrey, England, United Kingdom | |||
| Cremation | Golders Green, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom |
Families
| Spouse | Aileen Hudson (1899 - 1958) |
| Child | John Connell Templer (1926 - 1989) |
| Child | David Eric Templer (1928 - 1982) |
| Child | Christopher Simon Templer (1930 - 1982) |
| Child | Col Michael James Templer RAMC (1933 - 2012) |
| Child | Richard Edward Templer (1935 - 1995) |
| Father | Francis Henry "Frank" Templer (1846 - 1925) |
| Mother | Cherie Connell (1855 - 1915) |
| Sibling | Unknown Templer (1884 - 1884) |
Notes
Residence-shared
Francis Henry Templer - Head, Aged 65, Retired Bank Manager, Pension, b. Wellington, SomersetCherie Templer - Aged 57 b. Auckland, New Zealand
Francis Henry, Aged 18 Student b. Auckland, New Zealand