Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Assistant Apothecary, later Honorary Surgeon, C. L. Fox, 1st European Bengal Fusiliers

Sutlej 1845-46, for Ferozeshuhur 1845, no clasp (C: Fox 1st E: L: I:); India General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, Pegu (Ast. Apothy. Chas. Levlin Fox. 1st Eur. Bengal Fusrs.); Indian Mutiny 1857-58, 1 clasp, Delhi (Ast. Apothy. C, L, Fox, 1st Eurn. Bengal Fusrs.) first medal with some minor contact wear and edge bruising, otherwise generally nearly extremely fine and a rare group (3) £800-£1,000

Charles Levlin Fox was born in India in April 1830, the son of Patrick Fox of Castlerahan, County Cavan, a Quarter Master Sergeant shown on the Town Major's List as having been in Bengal since 21 August 1811, and who retired to pension on 18 November 1840.

Charles Levlin Fox appears on the Alphabetical Annual Long Roll of the 1st Bengal European Light Infantry as a Private joining the regiment on 1 April 1845, being described as an East Indian (born in India of European parentage), of dark complexion, standing 5 foot 7 inches tall. He states his age as 18 although his death certificate would indicate that he would have only been aged 15 on enlistment. The roll also shows a Patrick Fox, again described as an East Indian who had been with the 1st Europeans since 1822 and listed as B.M. (Band Master). This is probably a brother.

Private Fox was present at the two day Battle of Ferozeshuhur on 21 December 1845 . The 1st Bengal Light Infantry attacked the Sikh guns head on only to be met with a firestorm of round shot and grape that caused whole sections of the line to be decimated. Casualties amounted to 51 killed and 164 wounded. The regimental surgeon was highly critical of the lack of medical arrangements and the 1st Europeans had to be invalided to Subathoo. Here, Henry Lawrence wrote “The 1st Fusiliers, now alas a mere shadow of what it was six months ago, can now only muster 256 men under arms”. Fox appears on the Sutlej Medal Roll as a Private but by June 1847 he had joined the Bengal Subordinate Medical Service.

In April 1853 Fox is shown as being an Assistant Apothecary at the Field Hospital in Rangoon being attached to the 1st European Bengal Fusiliers. Death by disease during the Burma (Pegu) campaign far exceeded those killed in action with many regiments reporting deaths in excess of 40 per cent.

On the outbreak of the Mutiny Assistant-Apothecary Fox was at Dugshai from where he marched with the 1st Europeans to Delhi. He was present with the regiment from the first action until the assault and capture of Delhi. Casualties of the regiment amounted to 80 killed, 271 wounded and 198 dying from disease.

Much of Fox's medical history and qualifications can be found in the Minutes of the General Medical Council 1884 Volume XXI in which Fox requests that his name be added to the Surgeon's Register. Additions have been made from other sources. He states he joined the Bengal Subordinate Medical Service on 8 June 1847, and worked in a military hospital for three years. He joined the Calcutta Medical School in 1850 and studied for two years receiving a certificate of qualification in 1852. Advanced to Assistant to Apothecary in November 1853. Advanced to Apothecary 3 November 1859, while attached to HM 94th Foot. From 1869 he worked as a Civil Surgeon at Mozufferghur before transferring to Hoshiapur. Here he was in Civil Medical charge of a local native population of 900,000 with the added responsibility for vaccination and sanitation. Advanced to Honorary Surgeon, 13 November 1875; pensioned 16 July 1884, although the Civil List of 1912 shows a retirement date of 21 August 1885. He is listed as working as a Civil Surgeon in Jessore in 1892, probably in a private or relief capacity. He died at Jullunder on 15 June 1914, aged 84.

Fox’s request to add his name to the Surgeon's Register was refused by the Medical authorities who argued that Honorary Surgeons or Surgeon-Majors prior to 1881 who obtained “local” commissions have no professional qualifications to be registered under the Act of 1858. In 1881 this injustice was rectified as all Honorary Surgeons and Apothecaries were allowed to be added to the Register.

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