'The Camel Corps', India, 1858

Pen and ink sketch by John North Crealock (1836-1895), 95th (Derbyshire) Regiment of Foot, 1859. From 'Central India 1859 Vol IX Rajpoota. Himalayas Wanderings in the East', a sketchbook of watercolours, pen and ink and pencil drawings.

Sketch of a European soldier and Indian driver on a camel. In 1858 the British created a Camel Corps drawing on men from the Rifle Brigade and under the command of Major (later General Sir) John Ross. The Corps was used as mounted infantry during the latter stages of the Indian Mutiny (1857-1859) to support columns of troops hunting down remnants of rebel forces. It was expanded with the addition of 200 Sikh soldiers but was disbanded in 1860.

J N Crealock was an accomplished artist and diarist who served in some of the key conflicts of the Victorian period. He was born in Devon in 1836 and educated at Rugby School. With a purchased commission he joined the 95th (Derbyshire) Regiment of Foot in 1854 and attended the musketry school at Hythe in Kent.

Crealock was posted with the 95th to South Africa in 1857 but the regiment was redirected to India where a mutiny in the Bengal Army was swiftly spreading across the country. Once in India the 95th formed part of the Rajputana Field Force, sent into action to counter rebel forces around Gwalior. The 95th marched 3,000 miles across central India, helping to capture Gwalior, Kotah, Pouree and Rowa. Crealock was Mentioned in Despatches three times and wounded in action.

Crealock served as Inspector of Musketry in Bombay from 1860 to 1862 and was Aide-de-Camp to Lieutenant General William Rose Mansfield from 1862-1864. He remained in India until 1869, attending staff college, following which he served in Ireland, again as Aide-de-Camp to Mansfield. After a period at Aldershot Crealock was posted to South Africa, serving in the 9th Cape Frontier War (1877-1878) and the Zulu War (1879), as Military Secretary the Lord Chelmsford. Crealock went on to serve in Egypt and Burma.