THIS WEEK'S ANNIVERSARY

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 41, 27 September 1928, Page 7

THIS WEEK'S ANNIVERSARY

dark days of .danger. the HIvLIKF OF LUCKNOW. On September 25th, JBST, the H'itisli garrison at Lucknow was rebel(ij| hv Havelock, and the women ana children were saved from treatment similar to that meted out to those at Cawnprare. Within |a fortnight of the occupation of Delhi by the rebels, the (British forces were advancing on that city, but the siege was long and dlflicnlt, and on May .31th the mutiny declared itseli at Luchino W. t Sir Henry Lawrence Was Governor of Ondili and endeavoured to drive tho rebels from Lucknow, but the- numbers of the: mutineers wore overwhelming and Sir Henry had toi retreat and fortify Hie Lucknow Presidency and patiently stand a. siege. 'Lawrence himself hadl not long to endure the siege, dying on July jth as the result of n wound in the thigh, caused hv the bursting of a shell at bis headquarters on July 2nd. (Gkmoral Havelock made fijs) way to the relief of Lucknow, accompanied by Sir James On tram, who had returned from Persia iandl had been sent to OudP with' full instructions to act as Chief Commissioner. CREDIT FOR, HAVELOCK. He had complete* civil and military authority, and in the natural order of things ho would have superseded Havelock, who had been fighting his way iso'el'illiantjy, in the face of ii thousand dangers, to the rebel off the English in Lucknow. Tint. Sir James refused to take the chief military oommafnd, declaring he would leave to Havelock the glory o' relieving Lucknow. Havelock fought battle after battle against forces f ar superior dn numbers to his own, and, though he relieved the garrison on September 25th, lie had not the reyuisito force to drive the rebels from the field, rind the rebels renewed the siege. However, Sir Colin Campbell hadl been appointed Commauder-in-Chief of the Indian forces, and on November 9th set out for Lucknow. On November 17th the besieging Ind'iaus were dislodged with Campbell’h help. The garrison was removed to Almnbagh, and here, on November 24th, Havelock died, as a result ot an atthek .of dysentery. O'utram was left in charge at Lucknow andi Campbell proceeded to re-tako Oawnpore. Then he concentrated on the very important work of dispersing (be great body of rebels hi the vicinity of Lucknow, and on March int.'i, 1858, Lucknow Tel! completely into the hands of the, English. STRIKING CAKr'r.rv, CLOSED. Oho name, says Justin (McCarthy, must not ho" forgotten among those who endured the siege of Lucknow. It is that of Dr. jßrydon, whom wo last saw as he appeared nndhr the walls of Jellalabad, tlieU’ouei survivor came back to tell the tale of the disastrous retreat from Oahu!. A giftcdP artist, Mrs Thompson-Bntler, has I itely painted tliat picture as no words could paint it. Dr. jßrydon served through the Lucknow defence., and was specially named! in the despatch of the Governor-General, “After passing through the Calm), cam, paign of 1841-12”, the Governor-Gen-eral said of Dr. Brydon, “he was included in the illustrious garrison who maintained the position in Jollala--1 had. He may new, as one of the heroes of Lucknow, claim to have witnessed and taken part in an achievement even more oonspicions. as an example of the invincible energy and enduring courage of British soldiers.”