NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE REGIMENT OF FOOT IN 1857-59 BATTLES

2. Major Agha.H.Amin was commissioned in the old
PAVO Cavalry in March 1983.
He was educated at Saint Marys Academy Lalazar
and Forman Christian College Lahore.
He served in various command, staff, research,
logistics and instructional positions in his military
career, including mechanical transport officer of

3. an armoured brigade headquarter, mechanical
transport officer of an armoured regiment ,
general staff officer research trial and publications
at School of Armour , Instructor Class C at Tactical
Wing School of Armour and finally independent
command directly under a major general as
Officer Commanding 5 Independent Armoured
Squadron.
In his civilian career performed projects like
Uzbekistan Kabul Transmission lines concrete
foundations, CASA 1000 Line survey as sub
contractor of SNC Lavalin Canada and
Turkmenistan Mazar transmission line as sub
contractor of Fichtner Gmbh Germany.
Also served as Assistant Editor Defence Journal
Karachi , Executive Editor Globe Karachi , Editor
Journal of Afghanistan Studies financed by Danish
foreign ministry , Editor Intelligence Review ,
Editor Pakistan Military Review , Editor Journal of
Book Reviews, Editor Indian Military Review etc.

4. Authored over 120 books and journals . Articles
published in Pakistan Army Journal and Citadel
Journal of Command and Staff College Quetta.
Established unprecedented and todate unbroken
record of an independent tank squadron
defeating 7 tank regiments in a corps level firing
competition.
Recommended creation of army commands in
Pakistan Army command and staff college Citadel
Journal issue 2/98 in 1998 which was adopted by
the Pakistan Army in 2005-7.
Has advised various states and international
companies on security matters as sub contractor
of Spanish , USA and Hongkong based companies.
Contact e mail :--- mazen@csio-ops.com and
pavocavalry@gmail.com

5. This is a brief study aid for serious students of
military history interested in British infantry

6. battalions which participated in the battles of
1857-59.
Each battalions role is covered with short history
of its operations in India.In addition its individual
as well as net contribution to the outcome of war
is summarized.
Casualties are listed with causes of death ,
locations and names of key persons.
Maps of area where the battalion operated.
Only fatal casualties which occurred due to actual
fighting are listed and fatal casualties due to
medical causes like heatstroke , cholera etc are
not listed.

8. This battalion was located at Dinapore in 1857.

9. 7 NI , 8 NI and 40 NI rebelled at Dinapore on 25th
July 1857 and marched to Arrah where they
besieged Europeans in a small house.
A wing of the battalion (450 men) under Captain
C.Dunbar 1
was sent to relieve Arrah garrison by
boat. Captain Dunbar took the unjustifiable risk of
advancing through night and was ambushed on
night 29/30th
July 1857 and lost 50 killed (1 dying
later of wounds) including Captain Dunbar and
Captain H.J Erskine.2
The battalion participated in the final attack on
Lucknow where it lost 20 killed.
In addition it lost 3 killed at Benares, 1 at Bareilly ,
1 at Delhi if casualty roll can be believed.
1
Page-187- THE HISTORY OF THE ROYAL AND INDIAN
IN THE MUTINY OF 1857-- COLONEL JULIAN R. J.
JOCELYN-- JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET, W.
LONDON-1915
2
Page-14- CASUALTY ROLL FOR THE INDIAN MUTINY
1857-59-

11. The battalion performed well but did not see any
really adverse operational situation .
Most of its fatal casualties were suffered at Arrah
and were avoidable if its officer leading the relief
of Arrah had exercised more caution and had not
rushed into battle after last light, leading his men
straight into a rebel ambush.
Three Victoria crosses were awarded to the
battalion :--
• Lieutenant Henry Marshman Havelock3
(later
Havelock Allan) won a VC at Cawnpore on 16
July 1857.He was son of the famous major
3
Page-87- THE VICTORIA CROSS-AN OFFICIAL
CHRONICLE-Op cit.

12. general sir Henry Havelock and later killed at
Ali Masjid in 1897.4
• Private John Kirk at Benares on 4th
June 1857
for rescuing an officer and his family.5
• Private Dennis Dempsey- Lucknow 14 March
1858, Arrah and Jagdispur 12 August 1857.6
The battalion lost two officers at the badly
conducted failed relief of Arrah , captains Dunbar
and Erskine.
4
Page-189-THE COMPLETE VICTORIA CROSS- Kevin
Brazier -Pen and Sword Publishers-UK-2015
5
Page-182- Ibid.
6
Page-88- THE VICTORIA CROSS-AN OFFICIAL
CHRONICLE-Op cit and page-191- THE COMPLETE
VICTORIA CROSS-Op cit.

13. Its fatal casualties in actual fighting may be
summarized as below: --
1.Arrah -29/30 July 1857 - 50
2.Benares-4 June 1857 - 4
3.Delhi 14 Sep 1857 - 1
4.Lucknow-Nov 1857 - 1
5.Lucknow-Feb 1858 - 1
6.Lucknow-March 1858 - 20
7.Bareilly- 1858 - 1
8.Oudh-May 1858 - 1
9.Oudh-Nov 1858 - 1
10. Tonse River-April 1858 - 2
11. Drowned-Sep 1858 - 1
The battalion failed at Arrah where it could have
exercised decisive impact in relieving the garrison
at Arrah.
In future operations the odds were not severe and
the battalion suffered very few casualties.
At final attack on Lucknow the odds were heavily
biased in the company’s favour and no single
battalion could really claim to have played a more
singularly decisive role.

14. The battalion was awarded the battle honour
Lucknow .