THE INDIAN MUTINY MEDAL TO PRIVATE ISAAC BATEMAN, 3RD BOMBAY EUROPEAN REGIMENT (THE POST 1859 109TH REGIMENT AND POST 1880 2ND BATTALION LEINSTER REGIMENT), SEVERELY WOUNDED DURING THE CAPTURE OF FORT LOHAREE ON 22ND MAY 1858

THE INDIAN MUTINY MEDAL TO PRIVATE ISAAC BATEMAN, 3RD BOMBAY EUROPEAN REGIMENT (THE POST 1859 109TH REGIMENT AND POST 1880 2ND BATTALION LEINSTER REGIMENT), SEVERELY WOUNDED DURING THE CAPTURE OF FORT LOHAREE ON 22ND MAY 1858, A V.C. ACTION FOR THE 3RD BOMBAY EUROPEAN REGIMENT. Indian Mutiny Medal, 1 clasp, Central India (officially named, impressed: in serifed block capitals: ISAAC BATEMAN, 3rd. BOMBAY EUPn. REGt.). Good Very Fine.

Medal accompanied by biographical and service details from FIBIS, copied extract Chelsea Pensions Discharge Record, transcript British Army Worldwide Index for 1861 and 1871, extracts 1841 England census, 1881 Wales census, and extract Indian Mutiny Medal roll confirming medal and clasp Central India.

Isaac Bateman was born in 1831, his place of birth in the 1841 census being recorded as Somerset, in the FIBIS records as Wincanton, Somerset, and in the 1881 census as Bruton, Somerset (Wincanton and Bruton are approximately 4 miles apart). Bateman is recorded in the 1841 census as a 10 year old agricultural labourer resident in Wellow, Charterhouse Hinton, Somerset. Bateman enlisted as 773 Private into the 3rd Bombay European Regiment at Cardiff on 2/12/1854 for a term of 10 years, giving his trade at the time of enlistment as labourer and sailed for India aboard the Albuera, arriving in India in 1855. Bateman was among the men of the 3rd Bombay European Regiment who volunteered to transfer to the British Army when the East India Company regiments transferred to the Crown following the Indian Mutiny, transferring with the rank of Private and service number 26 to the 109th Regiment (Bombay Infantry). British Army Worldwide Index for 1861 records 26 Private Bateman stationed with the 109th (Bombay Infantry) at Kurrachee, India. Promoted to Corporal, he is recorded in the 1871 Worldwide Index as Corporal, 109th Regiment, stationed at Roorkee, India, but was apparently reduced to Private before discharge, his rank on discharge being recorded as Private. He was discharged at the “Depot” on 13/1/1873, after 21 years and 41 days service with the colours, his conduct whilst serving being noted as “Very Good”. Chelsea Pensions return records Bateman as having initially receiving his pension from the pension office in Trowbridge, but arranging to have the payments made from the Cardiff office from 31/03/1874 onwards. He is recorded in the 1881 census as a 50 year old plate layer resident in LLangynwyd Higher, Glamorganshire, with his 45 year old wife Mary Ann Bateman.

Private Bateman was severely wounded at Fort Loharee on 2nd May 1858. On this date the 3rd Bombay European Regiment formed part of the Central India Field Force under General Sir Hugh Rose, engaged in a flanking march, the progress of which was impeded by the fort at Loharee, manned by some 500 rebels. With a view to securing his line of advance, General Rose dispatched a force under Major Gall of the 14th Light Dragoons, consisting of a wing of the 3rd Bombay Europeans, some artillery and Light Dragoons, to capture the fort. The fort’s walls were too strong for the artillery to reduce them, so the 3rd Europeans were directed to storm the fortress while the Dragoons formed a cordon around it to prevent the escape of the garrison. The route to the fortress, through a small town, was guarded by a series of multiple walls and doors. The leading company of the 3rd Europeans forced the two outer doors, but were held up by what the regimental history describes as “a difficult double gate with a small postern at an angle”. This third gate was eventually blown in when a young sapper officer, Lieutenant Bonus of the Royal Engineers, detonated a blacksmiths bellows packed with gunpowder against the gate. A laneway now led to the central keep of the fortress, fitted on either side with scaffolding, and manned by ranks of rebel swordsmen. The 3rd Europeans managed to press their way through, despite the attentions of the swordsmen, many officers and men of the regiment receiving multiple wounds as they made their way towards the central keep, which they successfully stormed.

During the assault on the fortress at Loharee 16 officers and men of the 3rd Bombay European Regiment were wounded; two officers severely and one slightly, one man mortally wounded, three severely wounded, two dangerously and seven slightly.

The capture of the fortress at Loharee was a VC action for the 3rd Bombay Europeans, Private Whirlpool of the regiment distinguishing himself at Loharee for the second time during the campaign, his VC being announced in the London Gazette of 21st October 1859 “Frederick Whirlpool, Private, 3rd Bombay European Regt. Dates of Acts of Bravery: 3 April and 2 May 1858. For gallantly volunteering on the 3rd April 1858, in the attack on Jhansi, to return and carry away several killed and wounded, which he did twice under a very heavy fire from the wall also for devoted bravery at the assault on Lohari on the 2nd May, 1858, in rushing to the rescue of Lieut. Donne, of the regiment, who was dangerously wounded. In this service Private Whirlpool received seventeen desperate wounds, one of which nearly severed his head from his body. The gallant example shown by this man is considered greatly to have contributed to the success of the day.” (the regimental history records Private Whirlpool as actually having received no less than 19 wounds and goes on to quote him as having joked when being stretchered away “Take care lads and don’t shake my head, or else it will come off”).

A curious incident occurred during the initial stages of the assault on the fortress at Loharee. Major Gall of the 14th Light Dragoons was carried out of action by some men of the 3rd Europeans after having been hit on the head by some heavy stones. Apparently it was other men of the 3rd Europeans who threw the stones, unhappy that they were not being led into action during the assault by one of their own officers, and who were intent on remedying the situation by incapacitating Major Gall, who was carried from the field, the 3rd Europeans then being led into the successful assault on the fortress at Loharee by their own officers.