Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The Indian Mutiny medal awarded to Mr George Thomson, Extra Assistant Commissioner, Uncovenanted Civil Service: ‘Poor Mr Thomson had his left hand cut clean off. Had a sword cut across his nose, one on his forehead, one on his neck and was wounded in each arm, independent of the loss of his left hand’

Indian Mutiny 1857-59, no clasp (Geo. A. Thomson.) nearly extremely fine £600-800

George Nathaniel Alves Thomson was born on 24 July 1831, at Mundlaisor, Bengal, the son of Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel George Thomson, 40th Native Infantry, of Dalhousie, Edinburgh, and also of Charlieshope, New Norfolk, Tasmania, and his wife Ellinor Crawfurd, daughter of Alexander Graham of Milton Place, Glasgow.

George Thomson joined the Uncovenanted Civil Service as an Extra Assistant Commissioner in the Punjab in 1853, and at the outbreak of the mutiny he was stationed at Leiah, a district of Bunnu in the Punjab. Leiah was described as an unimportant district, too thinly inhabited to take any initiative for or against the Government.

The following extracts were taken from the dispatch sent by Captain Hockin, 17th Irregular Cavalry, to the Commissioner of the Punjab and is dated 30 September 1857, together with other reports including one by Captain Fendall, Officiating Deputy Commissioner of Leiah.

Much anxiety was caused at Leiah by the arrival of a wing of the 17th Irregular Cavalry under Captain Hockin. This regiment was considered suspect but they were too few in number to be mischievous. When the insurrection at Khurral broke out Captain Hockin prepared to march against the rebels leaving 40 of his men at Leiah who had indeed fallen under suspicion. The day before he marched further news reached Leiah that the 9th Irregular Cavalry had mutinied at Mianwali. Captain Fendall considered that this was not some little local difficulty but a much larger and widespread uprising and sent Mr Thomson with Captain Hockin to hold the right bank of the Chenab. Captain Hockin, together with Mr Thomson and 60 Sowers set off in an attempt to rendezvous with Ensign Chalmers, who, together with Mr L. Cowan and his party of Multanee Horse were resting at at the village of Manee. Captain Hockin received word that Chalmers and Mr Cowan, also an Extra Assistant Commissioner and a friend of Thompson, had removed themselves from Manee and were marching to do battle with the mutineers estimated at 30 in number. After a series of marches through the ‘Thul’ Captain Hockin met them at the village of Boota Kotla. Ensign Chalmers had been severely wounded in two places and Cowan explained that they had caught up with the mutineers and attacked them. Cowan, who had taken command, due to Ensign Chalmers’ wounds, was unable to press home his advantage as his men were reluctant to advance the attack and thus they had returned to Boota Kotla. They had suffered several casualties. Captain Hockin immediately gave chase and caught up with a Native officer, 16 sowers and a bheesti. The mutineers were dismounted and had taken up a position on a mound with a slight hollow, thereby giving them a natural breastwork. With bushes to the front and a very heavy sandy ground to cross it was not ideal terrain for mounted cavalry. Captain Hockin gave the mutineers a chance to surrender but when this was refused he charged resulting in the annihilation of all the rebels.

Captain Hockin records the aftermath by stating, ‘I regret to say that Mr G. Thomson, Extra Assistant at Leiah was most severely wounded; he charged the mutineers in a most gallant manner but was instantly cut down and but for Nishanburdar Gholam Ali and Jemadar Noor Khan, would have been killed. The former struck at the mutineer, who had overpowered Mr Thomson, with his sword, but not succeeding in disabling him drew his pistol and shot him. Poor Mr Thomson had his left hand cut clean off. Had a sword cut across his nose, one on his forehead, one on his neck and was wounded in each arm, independent of the loss of his left hand.’ Of Mr Thomson Captain Fendall wrote, “how gallantly he behaved.”

While Mr George A. Thomson received dangerous life changing injuries, other family members were to meet a far worse fate. His two sisters, one of whom was married to Major Alexander Robertson, Bengal Artillery, and had a small child, were at Fatehgarh. Taking to the boats they reached Manpur Katri where here they were attacked and Mrs Robertson was swept out of her husband's arms and drowned. Major Robertson, with their child on his shoulder, waded ashore and both were killed. His other sister, Elizabeth Mary Thomson lost her footing in the shifting sand and was swept away and also drowned.

George Alves Thomson married Elmira Jane Byrne, a Eurasian, sometime around 1864. Elmira was the daughter of Wale Byrne, a tireless campaigner for the Anglo Indian community in their struggle to get full recognition of their status from the British authorities. Elmira Jane also suffered heartbreak during the mutiny as her brother Ensign Reginald Sutherland Byrne 10th Bengal N.I. was killed at Cawnpore. Ensign Byrne, newly commissioned, scandalised the Fatehgarh Camp by arriving with a wife, mother in law, and family. It was rumoured that Ensign Byrne spent much of his time, when not studying for his commission, outside the Kiddepore school, Calcutta. His teenage wife “Bonny” so infatuated the local Fatehgarh Nawab that, on the outbreak of the mutiny, he took “Bonny” and her mother into safe keeping whilst many of the Fatehgarh community were killed either in the boats or at Cawnpore including Ensign Byrne.

George and Elvira Thomson had issue 4 children including Alexander Henry Gonger Thomson who applied for a cadetship into the civil service for which he qualified in 1888.

George Nathaniel Alves Thomson died at Kasauli, in Ambala District on 1 February 1870, aged 38. His grave also includes a memorial to his sister, Elizabeth Mary Thomson who perished at Fatehgarh July 4 1857, aged 20. His wife, Elmira, died at Norwood Surrey on 14 May 1917. Sold with a large and comprehensive file of research.