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{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2014}}
{{Infobox military person
|name=Henry Tombs
|birth_date=10 November 1824
|death_date=2 August 1874 (aged 49)
|birth_place= At sea, on passage to [[Calcutta]], [[British India]]
|death_place=[[Newport, Isle of Wight|Newport]], [[Isle of Wight]]
|placeofburial=[[Carisbrooke]] Cemetery
|image= Major General Henry Tombs.jpg
|caption=
|nickname=
|allegiance= {{UK}}
|serviceyears=1841 – 1874
|rank=[[Major General]]
|branch=[[Bengal Army]] [[British Army]]
|commands=[[Royal Horse Artillery]]
|unit= [[Bengal Horse Artillery]]
|battles=[[Gwalior Campaign]] [[First Anglo-Sikh War]] [[Second Anglo-Sikh War]] [[Indian Mutiny]] [[Bhutan War]] [[Battle of Punniar]] [[Battle of Moodkee]] [[Battle of Ferozeshah]] [[Battle of Aliwal]] [[Battle of Ramnagar]] [[Battle of Chillianwallah]] [[Battle of Goojerat]] [[Siege of Delhi]] [[Siege of Lucknow]]|awards= [[Victoria Cross]] [[Order of the Bath]] [[Gwalior Star|Punniar Star]] [[Sutlej Medal]] [[Punjab Medal]] [[Indian Mutiny Medal]] [[India General Service Medal (1854)|India General Service Medal]]
|laterwork=
}}
Major General ''' Sir Henry Tombs''' [[Victoria Cross|VC]] [[Order of the Bath|KCB]] (10 November 1824 – 2 August 1874) was a recipient of the [[Victoria Cross]], the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to [[United Kingdom|British]] and [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] forces.

==Early life==
Henry Tombs was born at sea on passage to India on 10 November 1824. He was the youngest of seven to Major-General [[John Tombs]], Bengal cavalry, and Mary Remington.<ref name=odnb/> He was sent back to England for an education during which time he studied at [[John Roysse]]'s [[Free school (England)|Free School]] in [[Abingdon-on-Thames]] (now [[Abingdon School]]). At the age of 15 he entered the [[East India Company]]'s [[Addiscombe Military Seminary|Military Seminary at Addiscombe]], graduating in June 1841 and receiving a commission in the [[Bengal Horse Artillery]]. In 1869 he married Georgina Janet Stirling, the youngest daughter of Admiral [[James Stirling (Royal Navy officer)|Sir James Stirling]]. Their grandson [[Joseph Tombs]] received the VC for actions during [[World War I]].

==Military career==
Tombs received his commission as second lieutenant in the Bengal Horse Artillery on 11 June 1841, and first saw active service aged 19 during the [[Gwalior Campaign]]. He distinguished himself while fighting at the December 1843 [[battle of Punniar]] with the No.16 Light Field Battery (horsedrawn), and was [[mentioned in dispatches]] and awarded the [[Gwalior Star|Punniar Star]].<ref name=odnb>{{cite web|url=https://doi.org/10.1093/ref:odnb/27506 |title=Tombs, Sir Henry|last1=Vetch |first1=R.H.|last2=''Revised by'' Stearn |first2=Roger T.|year=2008 |publisher=Oxford Dictionary of National Biography|access-date=4 October 2021|isbn=019861411X}}</ref>

During the [[First Anglo-Sikh War]] (1845–1846) Tombs commanded a horse artillery [[troop]] at the battles of [[Battle of Mudki|Moodkee]] and [[Battle of Ferozeshah|Ferozeshah]], and was Aide-de-Camp to Lieutenant-General [[Sir Harry Smith]] at the battle of [[Battle of Aliwal|Aliwal]].<ref name=odnb/> He was awarded a [[Sutlej Medal]] with two clasps (for Ferozeshuhur and Aliwal) in 1848.

During the [[Second Anglo-Sikh War]] (1848–1849), he served as Deputy Assistant Quartermaster General of Artillery. He was present at the battles of [[Battle of Ramnagar|Ramnagar]], [[Battle of Chillianwallah|Chillianwallah]] and [[Battle of Goojerat|Goojerat]]. He received the [[Punjab Medal]] with two clasps (for Chillianwallah and Goojerat) and was mentioned in dispatches. In 1854 he was promoted [[Brevet_(military)#United_Kingdom|brevet]] [[Major]] for his services in the field.<ref name=odnb/>

Tombs saw service for a fourth time during the [[Indian Rebellion of 1857]]–1858, during which he commanded a troop of Horse Artillery. On 31 May 1857 his horse was shot from beneath him for the first time. He fought at the [[Battle of Badli-ki-Serai]], where two horses were shot from under him. He was also present at the [[Siege of Delhi]], during which he commanded the Bengal Horse Artillery contingent. It was during this siege, on 9 July 1857 that he performed the act of gallantry for which he was to be awarded the [[Victoria Cross]]. As a result of his and his troops' gallantry the unit was awarded the title of Tombs's Troop, which – as 28/143 Battery (Tombs's Troop), part of [[19th Regiment Royal Artillery]] – it still carries to this day.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.army.mod.uk/artillery/regiments/24667.aspx |title=The Scottish Gunners: 19 Regiment Role and Structure |publisher=The British Army |accessdate=16 August 2016 }}</ref>

===Victoria Cross===
At the age of thirty-one, when a [[major]] in the [[Bengal Horse Artillery]], [[Bengal Army]] during the [[Indian Mutiny]], the following deed took place at the [[Siege of Delhi]] for which he and [[James Hills]] were awarded the VC:
{{quote|Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Tombs, C.B., and Lieutenant James Hills

Date of Act of Bravery, 9th July, 1857

For very gallant conduct on the part of [[James Hills-Johnes|Lieutenant Hills]] before Delhi, in defending the position assigned to him in case of alarm, and for noble behaviour on the part of Lieutenant-Colonel Tombs in twice coming to his subaltern's rescue, and on each occasion killing his man.

(See despatch of Lieutenant-Colonel Mackenzie, Commanding 1st Brigade Horse Artillery, dated Camp, near Delhi, 10th July, 1857, published in the Supplement to the London Gazette of the 16th January, 1858.)<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=22131|page=2050|date=27 April 1858}}</ref>}}

===Later career===
For services at the siege of Delhi, Tombs was promoted brevet lieutenant-colonel and made a Companion of the [[Order of the Bath]] in January 1858. In March 1858 he took part in the siege and capture of [[Siege of Lucknow|Lucknow]] before participating in a number of minor operations. He was promoted brevet colonel in July 1858, and lieutenant-colonel, [[Royal Artillery]], in April 1861.<ref name=odnb/>

In 1864, as a brigadier-general, he served in the [[Bhutan War]], commanding the force which recaptured [[Dewangiri]] Fort.<ref name=odnb/> Promoted major-general in March 1867<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=23250|page=2758|date=14 May 1867}}</ref> and made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in March 1868,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=23362|page=1703|date=17 March 1868}}</ref> Tombs was appointed to command a division in 1871, first at [[Allahabad]], then at [[Oudh State|Oudh]]. In 1874 he resigned his command due to ill health and died at [[Newport, Isle of Wight]], on 2 August 1874, aged 49.<ref name=odnb/>

==Assessment==
[[Frederick Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts|Field-Marshall Roberts]], a subaltern in during the Indian Rebellion, later wrote:<blockquote>The hero of the day [when he won the VC] was Harry Tombs … an unusually handsome man and a thorough soldier. … I had always heard of Tombs as one of the best officers in the regiment. …. As a cool, bold leader of men Tombs was unsurpassed: no fire, however hot, and no crisis, however unexpected, could take him by surprise; he grasped the situation in a moment, and issued his orders without hesitation, inspiring all ranks with confidence in his power and capacity. He was somewhat of a martinet, and was more feared than liked by his men until they realized what a grand leader he was, when they gave him their entire confidence, and were ready to follow him anywhere and everywhere.<ref>{{cite book |last=Roberts |first=Sir Frederick |title=Forty-one Years in India |url=http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/16528 |page=96 |year=1897 |publisher=Macmillan & Co |location=London}}</ref></blockquote>

At news of Tombs's death, the [[Commander-in-Chief, India]], [[Robert Napier, 1st Baron Napier of Magdala|Lord Napier]] issued a general order expressing regret at the loss of "so distinguished an officer".<ref name=odnb/>

==The medal==
His Victoria Cross is displayed at the [[Royal Artillery Museum]], [[Woolwich]], London.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20041224133121/http://www.homeusers.prestel.co.uk/stewart/iofwight.htm Location of Victoria Crosses: ''www.victoriacross.org.uk'']</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}
===Sources===
*[[Monuments to Courage]] (David Harvey, 1999)
*[[The Register of the Victoria Cross]] (This England, 1997)
*[[Scotland's Forgotten Valour]] (Graham Ross, 1995)
*''Tombs of Abingdon'' (Nigel Hammond, Oxfordshire Family Historian, December 2004)
*"Memoir of Major-General Sir Henry Tombs" (Royal Artillery Institution, 1913)
*"Memoir of Major-General Sir Henry Marion Duran" (Volume 1, 1883)
*"The New Army List; The Bank, Standing, and Various Services Regimental Officer in the Army Serving on Full Pay, Including the Royal Marines and Indian Staff Corps" (1869)
*"The memoirs of the Gemini Generals: personal anecdotes, sporting adventures, and sketches of distinguished officers" (A. D. Innes, 1896)
*"[https://doi.org/10.1093/ref:odnb/27506 Dictionary of National Biography]" (1885–1900, Volume 57)
*{{cite book |first=H.M. |last=Vibart |title=Addiscombe: its heroes and men of note |place=Westminster |publisher=Archibald Constable |year=1894 |pages=517–19 |ol=23336661M }}

==External links==
*[http://foncc.org.uk/burials/grave-search/record.php?rec=785 Details of Tombs grave.] ''Friends of Newport & Carisbrooke Cemeteries''
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20041224133121/http://www.homeusers.prestel.co.uk/stewart/iofwight.htm Location of grave and VC medal] ''www.victoriacross.org.uk''
*[http://search.fibis.org/frontis/bin/simplesearchsummarycat.php?s_id=118&sn=tombs&fn=&f=&to=&t=&c=&searchtype=exact&tn=7 East India Company Births]
*[[s:Tombs, Henry (DNB00)]] ''Dictionary of National Biography' (1885–1900, Volume 57)''
*[http://www.vconline.org.uk/sir-henry-tombs-vc/4588341260 Sir Henry Tombs: biography.] ''VConline.org.uk''

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tombs, Henry}}
[[Category:1824 births]]
[[Category:1874 deaths]]
[[Category:People educated at Abingdon School]]
[[Category:Alumni of Addiscombe Military Seminary]]
[[Category:British recipients of the Victoria Cross]]
[[Category:Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath]]
[[Category:Indian Rebellion of 1857 recipients of the Victoria Cross]]
[[Category:British military personnel of the Bhutan War]]
[[Category:British military personnel of the First Anglo-Sikh War]]
[[Category:British military personnel of the Second Anglo-Sikh War]]
[[Category:Graduates of the Royal Military College, Sandhurst]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Kolkata]]
[[Category:British Army generals]]
[[Category:Royal Artillery officers]]
[[Category:Bengal Artillery officers]]
[[Category:Tombs family]]
[[Category:People born at sea]]

Henry Tombs - Revision history

Bot at 02:23, 7 October 2022