RESEARCH NOTES
 

James Douglas De Wend was born at Stoke, near Gosport, on 3 June 1806. He passed out of the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, and was gazetted Ensign in the 44th Foot on 29 April 1824; Lieutenant, 17 December 1825; Captain, 22 May 1841; exchanged to 88th Foot, 27 October 1843; exchanged to half pay 52nd Foot, 6 December 1844; appointed Staff Officer of Pensions, 1 October 1844; Brevet Major, 20 June 1854. Major De Wend died at Northampton on 15 June 1856.

Major De Wend’s manuscript journals are held by the Centre for South Asian Studies, Cambridge University Library. Comprising two large volumes covering the period February 1820 to May 1835, when he returned to England on leave, the journals describe his time at Sandhurst and departure for Bengal in January 1825, where he eventually joined his regiment in the fort at Arakan in October.

His meticulous entries give a fascinating and readable description of the country of both Burma and India, notable places that he visited, as well as of the customs and habits of the local populations. Appended to this is a ‘Sketch of the History of India in Ancient and Modern Times’; and detailed lists of his various journeys giving dates, towns, miles and remarks, and also a summary of journeys made 2 February 1833 - 14 February 1834. De Wend evidently returned to India to join his regiment in the First Afghan War and was on his way up country with drafts for the regiment, to find on arrival that it had practically ceased to exist.