WITCOMB, Mark Henry. PM. Egyptian Campaign.

Died 22/02/1929, Derby Royal Infirmary, Age 65. Private, The Derbyshire Regiment, 2nd Bn. Service Number 2427. Husband of Harriet Witcomb of Gilman Street, Derby.

Mark Henry Witcomb was born in Birmingham on 24th February 1864, the eighth child of William Henry Witcomb and Mary Ann Witcomb (formerly Savage). Raised in the slums and back-to-backs of inner Birmingham, Mark Henry soon found himself in trouble with the law and by the age of 16 had served two terms in Winson Green prison – sentenced to 10 days for stealing cocoa nuts, aged 14, and 3 months for ‘preparing for burglary’, aged 16.

Shortly after his release from prison, he travelled to Coventry and joined the 95th Regiment of Foot. Perhaps this was to avoid further entanglement with the law or to escape the drudgery of industrial Birmingham. It may be that the Courts had made him an offer he couldn’t refuse – join the army or serve a further term at ‘Her Majesty’s Pleasure’.

Having enlisted aged 17 on 15th February 1881, 2427 Private Mark Henry Witcomb, 2nd Bn, The Derbyshire Regiment, arrived at Normanton Barracks to serve 9 years with the regular army followed by 3 years in the reserves. Within six months of his enlistment the battalion was under orders for Gibraltar for ‘acclimatisation’ and then to India, but in August 1882 the war in Egypt intervened and he found himself and his battalion on garrison duties in Alexandria.  The battalion had many onerous tasks to perform, one of which was to provide the guard around the gallows at executions of murderers and looters.

Following the end of the short-lived Egyptian Campaign in September 1882, Mark Henry did not go onto India but returned to the Depot in Normanton, Derby where he served until February 1890 when transferred to the reserves. During his time in the army, he had earned two Good Conduct stripes and received the Egyptian Medal and Khedive Star. His tunic and medals are on display in Derby Museum.

 After leaving the army, he was employed as a carriage painter with the Midland Railway Company and married Harriet Elizabeth Teather on 1st January 1890 at Norwell, Nottinghamshire. They started married life living in Liversage Street, followed by Poole Street, Allenton, and finally Gilman Street, Derby. They had eight children but only four survived childhood.

Mark Henry Witcomb passed away on 22nd February 1929 in Derby Royal Infirmary, three days before his 65th birthday. The cause of death was given as Lobar Pneumonia.

Both Mark Henry and Harriet Elizabeth are buried in Nottingham Road Cemetery Plot A30 / 66565.