Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The Second Afghan War Medal awarded to Lieutenant Frank Whittuck, 1st Bombay Grenadiers, one of the three officers of the regiment who escaped unscathed from the disaster at Maiwand, where he took part in the stand in the walled garden and was subsequently part of the rearguard during the terrible retreat; he died shortly afterwards, struck down by dysentery whilst on duty on the ramparts of the besieged city of Kandahar

Afghanistan 1878-80, no clasp (Lieut. F. Whittuck, Bo. N.I.) good very fine £4,000-£5,000

Frank Whittuck was born on 16 July 1856, the fifth son of Captain Whittuck, late 82nd Regiment, of Ellsbridge House, Keynsham, Somersetshire. He was educated at the Hermitage, Lansdown, and Sydney College, Bath, eventually passing into the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. In January 1876 he was gazetted into the 1st Battalion 17th Regiment and thence into the 12th Bombay Native Infantry.

After several other postings he was subsequently transferred to the 1st Bombay Grenadiers. With the Grenadiers he served in Burrow’s Brigade to the Helmand, and in the return march to Khushk-i-Nakhud. Lieutenant Whittuck was present with them at the battle of Maiwand, on the 27th of July, being one of the three officers of the regiment to escape unscathed on that disastrous day. The trials and privations endured through the terrible retreat in which for thirty hours the troops were without food or water, and the subsequent very heavy duties which devolved upon the garrison during the siege, must have been too much for this young officer’s strength. Towards the end of August he was attacked with dysentery whilst on duty on the ramparts at Kandahar, from the effects of which he never recovered. Frank Whittuck, an ‘officer devoted to his profession’, died on 5 September 1880.

In Murray’s My God Miawand, it is stated their was no mention by other officers of Whittuck’s part in the battle. However, from a letter written from Hospital Kandahar and subsequently published by another surviving officer, Lieutenant Whittuck is mentioned twice. During the stands made by the 66th and mixed elements of other regiments at Khig, and in the subsequent retreat from the field of battle. From the description of events, it seems Whittuck was present during the last main stand in the walled garden, before survivors were brought off by General Burrows to join the main force at Mundabad. A small number of the 66th; were cut off from this force and died in the last garden:

‘At about half-past three o'clock in the afternoon our defeat was complete, and the survivors of our brigade — that is to say, the remnants of our three infantry and two cavalry regiments — were hurled into a confused mass of fugitives, endeavouring to gain the shelter of the walled enclosure, where in the morning our sick, wounded, and stores were placed. This place I have described to you as an oblong walled enclosure, about 80 yards long by 60 broad, and with stoutly built mud walls some 20 feet in height. Here Major Oliver made an attempt to rally his men… Captain Dick, who had charge of the commissariat stores, had made a sort of banquette of wooden cases and casks, from which our men were enabled to fire over the walls. To this piece of forethought I believe we owe the short and partly effective stand we made at this building, for it enabled us to check the advance of our pursuers, while the scattered Ubris of our battalions were making some formation inside. Here at least were the colours of the 66th, and those of the Bombay Grenadiers, still intact, and here were Colonel Mainwaring, Colonel Griffiths, Major Oliver, Lieuts Whittuck and Lynch, Captain Mayne, and Lieut Reid, all, or nearly all, wounded, but gallantly getting their men to rally and re-form and cover the retreat Out-side this species of 'laager'… Meanwhile our ammunition was fast failing, and by the General's orders we slackened our fire, only delivering a shot or two when the enemy became massed and near enough to afford a certain mark for our rifles. Flaunting their standards, and with frantic yells and demoniac gestures, the standard-bearers ran in front of the serried masses of our foes, whom, however, we still managed to hold in check with our feeble fire.’

Burrows managed to get this small party away from Khig and during the terrible retreat of the main body of troops, Whittuck was apparently one of those in the rearguard:

‘In the front, most of their horses bleeding and wounded, rode Colonel Mainwaring, commanding the advanced guard, Major River, and Colonel Griffith; while in the centre was General Burrows, doing all he could to cheer and keep up the courage of the men. With him were Lieut. Lynch, wounded ; Captain Grant, wounded; Major Vench, and Drs. Burrows and Eaton, while Colonel St. John overtook us further on. With the rear guard, if such it could be called, were Brigadier Nuttall and the remnants of his cavalry, Lieutenant Whittuck, Lieut Geoghegan, and Major River. Finding it impossible to turn back the confused mass of fugitives from the road they had chosen, General Burrows decided that it was better to stay with them than to divide the force, although he knew that the want of water would add terribly to their pitiable position on the march. As we moved silently and sadly along the road soon became strewn with dying wretches worn out by fatigue and devoured by a burning thirst that added frenzy to their sufferings. Strong men and weak lads alike abandoned themselves to despair, and lay themselves down rather than attempt a further struggle with the ruthless foe.’

The Bombay Grenadiers suffered the worst casualties of any Regiment present at Maiwand; 427 killed out of 649 or 66% of those present (the 66th had 228 killed). The Regiment had effectively split during the confused latter stages of the battle, the main force retreating on Mundabad, many dying in gallant stands made during their retreat. A smaller part of the regiment, including Whittuck, were mixed up with elements of Jacobs Rifles and the 66th during the retreat and stands at Khig. Of 7 British Officers, 4 were casualties.