My first cousin five times removed Alliston Champion Toker (1843-1936) was a soldier and translator.

He was born on 10 December 1843, third son and youngest of the eight children of Philip Champion Toker (1802–1882) and Elizabeth née Branthwayt (1808–1889).

Educated at Brighton College, Sussex, and Victoria College, St Helier, Jersey, Toker was nominated as a cadet for the Bengal Infantry by a distant relative, Major General Sir Robert Vivian KCB, the step-son of a sister of Toker’s paternal grandmother. He attended Addiscombe Military Seminary, military school of the British East India Company. In 1860 Toker entered the Bengal Infantry as an Ensign, the lowest grade of commissioned officer. (Beside Addiscombe, Toker also attended the School of Musketry, Hythe, and trained in army signalling at Aldershot.)

Toker had a distinguished career in India. In 1864-5 he served in the Bhootan Expedition (the Anglo-Bhutan War). In 1882 he was Deputy Assistant Adjutant General (a senior staff officer) to the Indian contingent at Tel-el-Kebir and the pursuit to Zagazig (an incident of the Anglo-Egyptian War); he was mentioned in despatches, brevetted as Lieutenant-Colonel and awarded the Order of Osmanieh, 4th Class. He was made a CB (Companion of the Order of the Bath), for services in the Burmese Expedition of 1886-7. He became a Colonel, Bengal Staff Corps, in 1886 and from September 1887 to August 1892 was Departmental Secretary to the Military Department of the Government of India. He was promoted to Major-General in 1897. In 1906 Toker was made Knight Commander of the Bath (KCB).

In the course of his career Toker became proficient in Arabic, Bengali, Hindi, Sanskrit, and Urdu, and was Official Translator to the Government of India for 14 years. He oversaw the translation of all Indian Army military textbooks into Urdu, Hindi, and Punjabi. It was said he spoke seven Oriental languages, as well as five European. At the age of 72 he thought he would like to get his degree in Oriental languages and went to Cambridge as an undergraduate, only to find that the tutor was a man he had coached for the job. He had no special privileges at the university, except that he was allowed to sit at the dons’ table.

During World War 1, when he was in his 70s, Toker was employed in France as a translator in the 1915-16 Indian Expeditionary Force and from 1916 to 1919 he served in British Postal Censorship.

Sir Alliston Champion Toker by Lafayette 1 March 1928
NPG x42362 © National Portrait Gallery, London

When Alliston Toker died age 92 in Bedfordshire, England, obituaries appeared in newspapers around the world. Even a small country newspaper in Yass, Australia noted his passing. All mentioned his university studies at Cambridge in Oriental languages when he was in his 70s.

From the Yass Tribune-Courier (NSW, Australia), Monday 24 August 1936, page 6:

GENERAL WHO COULD NOT BE RETIRED
Sir A. C. Toker Dies Aged 92
UNDERGRADUATE IN HIS SEVENTIES
Ninety-two years of age, a general who could not be retired died the other day. He was Major General Sir Alliston Champion Toker, and his death occurred at his Bedford home.
A relative stated: "He was probably the oldest general in the Indian Army, and was on the active list the whole time. He could not be retired.
"Sir Alliston carried out a survey of the Chindwin district in Burmah in 1886-7. For that he received from the Commander-in-Chief, Lord Roberts, the honour that he could never be retired from the active list. It is a very uncommon honour, and I think probably only two others hold it.
"At the age of 72 he thought he would like to get his degree in Oriental languages and went to Cambridge as an undergraduate, only to find that the tutor was a man he had coached for the job!
"He had no special privileges at the university, except that he was allowed to sit at the dons' table.
"He was in France for 11 months during the war in 1915 until the Indian Division, to which he acted as interpreter, returned to India.
Bent For Languages 
"He was the first officer to translate any military text-books into Indian languages. He had a natural bent for languages, and spoke at least seven Oriental tongues, as well as five European.
"In effect, he retired 40 years ago, and after his retirement was awarded the K.B.E."
At the India Office it was stated that the official description of Sir Alliston's position was that he remained until his death on the unemployed supernumerary list of the Indian Army.
Sir Alliston was born at Hendon, Middlesex, and entered the Bengal Army in 1860. He became captain in 1872, major in 1880, brevet lieutenant-colonel two years later, colonel in 1886, and major-general in 1897.
Sir Alliston was twice married. His first wife died in 1878, and his second, in 1926.

Related posts

Wikitree: Alliston Champion Toker KCB (1843 – 1936)