GROUPS AND SINGLE DECORATIONS FOR GALLANTRY
At the Battle of Najafgarh, on 25 August 1857, Major Tombs commanded the artillery, and Lieutenant Wilson commanded Tombs's troop. Brigadier-General John Nicholson mentioned Tombs in Despatches for his services in this engagement (London Gazette 24 November 1857). For the assault on Delhi, 14 September 1857, No. 10 Battery, under the command of Major H. Tombs, "was erected near the Kudsia Bagh and, armed with four 10-inch and six 8-inch mortars, commenced firing on the night of the 10th. Its task was to assist in silencing the guns in the Kashmir and Water Bastions and in the Curtain between." On the day of the assault the troop suffered so heavily during the Siege of Delhi, that it was not fit to accompany the column despatched to the south after the fall of that place.
In October it was ordered to Meerut to refit, and in January 1858, joined the force under Sir Colin Campbell at Cawnpore, and took part in the operations before Lucknow and in subsequent actions in Oudh and Rohilcund. From 16 to 19 March, 2/1 Horse Artillery accompanied a column under Brigadier Campbell in pursuit of the rebels, and then joined Major-General Walpole's force in the Western Oudh; was present at the taking of Fort Rooiya 15 April, 1858, and at the affair of Allygunge. Tombs and his troop took part in the Battle of Bareilly, under the Commander-in-Chief, and in the Relief of Shahjehanpore 18 May 1858. He next commanded the artillery of a column which proceeded to Mohumdee on 24 to 29 May and also of a force which was sent to Shahabad on 31 May. The troop returned to Meerut in August 1858, and was specially mentioned in General Orders, 4 December 1858, by the Commander-in- Chief, while Tombs himself was highly praised in Despatches on every occasion. He was also eulogised by the Government and in the House of Lords by the Secretary of State. He was twice wounded, had five horses shot under him, was promoted to Brevet Colonel 20 July 1858, and in addition to the Victoria Cross was created a C.B. (London Gazette 22 January 1858).
Senior Command, Later Life and an Untimely Death
On 29 April 1861, Tombs was promoted to Regimental Lieutenant Colonel, and relinquished the command of his troop. He was appointed to the 2nd Brigade Royal Horse Artillery, and to the command of the artillery at Meerut. On 16 May 1863, he was appointed Brigadier-General to command the Gwalior district, and from February to April 1865, he was selected by the Commander-in-Chief, Sir Hugh Rose, to command the right column of the Bhutan Field Force for the purpose of recapturing Dewangiri. It was under his command at this time that the Victoria Cross was won by Trevor and Dundas. General Tombs was thanked by Government for his distinguished services in the capture and destruction of Dewangiri, received the Medal and clasp for the campaign, and was appointed A.D.C. to Queen Victoria, and given a Good Service Reward in 1865. He was awarded the K.C.B. on 14 March 1868. On promotion to Major-General 11 March, 1867, he relinquished the command of the Gwalior district and proceeded to England. In 1869 Sir Henry Tombs married Georgina Janet, youngest daughter of Admiral Sir James Stirling, K.C.B. (the first Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Western Australia), and Ellen, daughter of James Mangles, Esq., M.P. for Guildford. They had three children: Dorothea Gwladys, later Countess of Lanesborough; Mabel who married Major Boyce Combe, 11th Hussars, and Henry Edwin Stirling, who died in infancy.
In August 1871, Sir Henry Tombs was appointed to the command of the Allahabad Division, and on 1 April, 1872, was transferred to the Oudh Division. From December 1871 to January 1872, he commanded the 3rd Division at the Army Manoeuvres near Delhi, under Lord Napier of Magdala. Sir Henry Tombs became ill and, in February 1874, he left Lucknow on sick leave but by the time he reached Marseilles his illness had become so serious that he underwent an operation in Paris. On reaching England he was told that his illness was incurable, and he bore this crushing blow with the utmost fortitude and resignation, and went to Newport, Isle of Wight, to end his days. His sufferings became more intense, but he endured them without hope of relief and without complaining, ‘in the true spirit of a brave Christian soldier’, and on Sunday, 2 August 1874, died before he was fifty. He was buried in the Cemetery at Carisbrooke. Her Majesty Queen Victoria during his last illness is said to have ‘constantly inquired after him’, and on his death expressed much sorrow at the great loss which Her Majesty, the Army and his family had sustained.
Lord Roberts wrote: “Tombs was marked out from the beginning of his career for success. He was gifted with a bright and cheerful nature, great charm of manner, good looks, and a fine soldierly bearing, which all contributed to make ‘Harry’ Tombs the attractive and remarkable figure we knew and loved.” Sir George Cowper, Bart., C.B ., who had known Tombs since they were boys together at Sandhurst, said of him that: "In the eyes of all those who had watched his career from its brilliant and joyous commencement to its most sad and untimely end, he was the very type of Spartan fortitude, of chivalrous valour and of every manly grace ... one who united in himself all the attributes of a heroic martyr, of a splendid soldier, and of a knightly gentleman."
Sir James Hills Johnes, V.C., G.C.B. whose life was twice saved by Tombs wrote: “I am only too glad to do anything I can to help to make public Sir Harry Tombs’ good name. He was the finest commander I ever served under, and that is saying a great deal, as I have served under Sir Donald Stewart and Lord Roberts, and other good men. It was splendid the way Tombs used to lead his men into action-just as if on an ordinary field day -the troops advancing in line with him a few yards in front, so steady at all paces, walk, trot, or gallop. Whenever I speak or write of Tombs his splendid leading always comes before me."
A fund was collected in India and in England, and a memorial was placed in the Garrison Church at Woolwich, and with the remainder of the money “the Tombs Memorial Scholarship” was founded, to be awarded to the Senior Cadet who is periodically commissioned to the Royal Artillery from the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich. The award of this scholarship was made to two and sometimes three students on an annual basis and in 1913 a magnificently bound memoir dedicated to the life of Major General Sir Henry Tombs, V.C., K.C.B. was published and presented to each of the prize winners from that date forward. A copy of one of these rare books, contained in its original gilt tooled, full blue calf leather binding is sold with the lot.
www.dnw.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164 |
Page 165 |
Page 166 |
Page 167 |
Page 168 |
Page 169 |
Page 170 |
Page 171 |
Page 172 |
Page 173 |
Page 174 |
Page 175 |
Page 176 |
Page 177 |
Page 178 |
Page 179 |
Page 180 |
Page 181 |
Page 182 |
Page 183 |
Page 184 |
Page 185 |
Page 186 |
Page 187 |
Page 188 |
Page 189 |
Page 190 |
Page 191 |
Page 192 |
Page 193 |
Page 194 |
Page 195 |
Page 196 |
Page 197 |
Page 198 |
Page 199 |
Page 200 |
Page 201 |
Page 202 |
Page 203 |
Page 204 |
Page 205 |
Page 206 |
Page 207 |
Page 208 |
Page 209 |
Page 210 |
Page 211 |
Page 212 |
Page 213 |
Page 214 |
Page 215 |
Page 216 |
Page 217 |
Page 218 |
Page 219 |
Page 220 |
Page 221 |
Page 222 |
Page 223 |
Page 224 |
Page 225 |
Page 226 |
Page 227 |
Page 228 |
Page 229 |
Page 230 |
Page 231 |
Page 232 |
Page 233 |
Page 234 |
Page 235 |
Page 236 |
Page 237 |
Page 238 |
Page 239 |
Page 240 |
Page 241 |
Page 242 |
Page 243 |
Page 244 |
Page 245 |
Page 246 |
Page 247 |
Page 248 |
Page 249 |
Page 250 |
Page 251 |
Page 252 |
Page 253 |
Page 254 |
Page 255 |
Page 256 |
Page 257 |
Page 258 |
Page 259 |
Page 260 |
Page 261 |
Page 262 |
Page 263 |
Page 264 |
Page 265 |
Page 266 |
Page 267 |
Page 268 |
Page 269 |
Page 270 |
Page 271 |
Page 272 |
Page 273 |
Page 274 |
Page 275 |
Page 276 |
Page 277 |
Page 278 |
Page 279 |
Page 280 |
Page 281 |
Page 282 |
Page 283 |
Page 284 |
Page 285 |
Page 286 |
Page 287 |
Page 288 |
Page 289 |
Page 290 |
Page 291 |
Page 292 |
Page 293 |
Page 294 |
Page 295 |
Page 296 |
Page 297 |
Page 298 |
Page 299 |
Page 300 |
Page 301 |
Page 302 |
Page 303 |
Page 304 |
Page 305 |
Page 306 |
Page 307 |
Page 308 |
Page 309 |
Page 310 |
Page 311 |
Page 312 |
Page 313 |
Page 314 |
Page 315 |
Page 316 |
Page 317 |
Page 318 |
Page 319 |
Page 320 |
Page 321 |
Page 322 |
Page 323 |
Page 324 |
Page 325 |
Page 326 |
Page 327 |
Page 328 |
Page 329 |
Page 330 |
Page 331 |
Page 332 |
Page 333 |
Page 334 |
Page 335 |
Page 336 |
Page 337 |
Page 338 |
Page 339 |
Page 340 |
Page 341 |
Page 342 |
Page 343 |
Page 344 |
Page 345 |
Page 346 |
Page 347 |
Page 348 |
Page 349 |
Page 350 |
Page 351 |
Page 352 |
Page 353 |
Page 354 |
Page 355 |
Page 356 |
Page 357 |
Page 358 |
Page 359 |
Page 360 |
Page 361 |
Page 362 |
Page 363 |
Page 364 |
Page 365 |
Page 366 |
Page 367 |
Page 368 |
Page 369 |
Page 370 |
Page 371 |
Page 372 |
Page 373 |
Page 374 |
Page 375 |
Page 376 |
Page 377 |
Page 378 |
Page 379 |
Page 380
