Description
Punjab Medal, bar Mooltan, Lieutenant later Lt Colonel Anthony Benn Church, 9th Regiment of Native Infantry. From Ince, Cheshire, son of a Reverend.
Officially impressed: “LIEUt A.B. CHURCH, ADJt 9th REGt N.I.”
Entitlement to medal and clasp confirmed in the Army List.
The 1849 Army List notes that Lieutenant Anthony Church held the busy triple appointment of being the regiment’s Adjutant, Interpreter and Quarter Master.
“DEATH OF COLONEL A.B. CHURCH –
It is with extreme sorrow that we notice amongst the deaths reported by telegram, dated London, the 1st January, the name of Colonel A.B. Church, who held, for a series of years, so ably and with an amount of rectitude very seldom surpassed, the office of Deputy Judge Advocate General of the Sind Division, and also that of Cantonment Magistrate of Kurrachee.
The deceased officer was in bad health before leaving India, but it was hoped that a short period of rest at home would entirely restore him.
Unfortunately, he was seized with cancer in the throat, caused, or rather precipitated, by internal disorganisation, which ultimately terminated fatally.
For some time previous to his death, he was fully aware of his dangerous condition, but was recommended to try the salubrious climate of Malvern, and its medicinal waters which he did, but without effect.”
Colonel Anthony Benn Church was born during 1820 in Ince, Cheshire, where his father also of the same name, Reverend Anthony Benn Church was Minister, he was baptised by his father at the church on 28th October 1820.
His mother was Elizabeth Church.
“Lieut Col Anthony Benn Church, of the Bombay Staff Corps, died on December 23rd 1869, at Great Malvern.
he entered the service in June 1842, became Lieut in January 1846, Captain in February 1853, Major in June 1862, and Lieut Col in June 1868.”
Promoted to Major in the Bombay Staff Corps, dated 11th June 1862.
Promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in the Bombay Staff Corps, dated 11th June 1868.
Having recently been made Lieutenant Colonel, he died on 23rd December 1869 in Upston on Servern, Worcestershire.
His probates records him as “Anthony Benn Church late of Great Malvern in the County of Worcester.
Lieutenant Colonel in Her Majesty’s Bombay Staff Corps, Deputy Judge Advocated General Scind Division of the Bombay Army at Kurachee.
He married Isabella Rhodes at Thirk, Yorkshire on 19th October 1852.
A death notice in the Manchester Courier, 27th December 1869 reads:
“CHURCH – December 23rd, at Great Malvern, Lieut Col A.B. Church, Bombay Staff Corps, youngest son of the late Reverend Anthony Benn Church, incumbent of Ince and Alvanley, Cheshire.”
War Services from the 1858 Bombay Almanac:
“Captains… A.B. Church… served with the Bombay Column, Army of the Punjaub in 1848-49 at the Siege and Surrender of Mooltan. Medal and Clasp.”
The Illustrated London news, 14th April 1855, reports on the Patriotic Fund meeting at Surat, where Captain Church was Secretary:
“MEETING AND SURAT, IN AID OF THE PATRIOTIC FUND
Knowing (says a correspondent, writing from Surat) how great an interest is taken in England and elsewhere, in the object of the Patriotic Fund, I enclose a sketch of the scene at the meeting in aid of the Fund which took place in the mess house of the 9th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry at Surat.
The scene was very striking. The Mussulmans and Borahs, with their beards and general picturesque costume; the Brahmins and other Hindoos, with their peculiarly shaped Turbans; and the Parsees, whose turban, or rather, as it appears to the uninitiated, helmet of oil-cloth, is perhaps the most ugly of all known head dresses – whilst the more sober costume of the English or ‘Sahib Tog’ mixed agreeably with the white, red and yellow of the native.
The meeting was well attended, and able speeches were made both in English and Guzerattee.
The exertions of the committee, especially of Mr Hibbert, Judge of Surat, who is president and Captain A.B. Church, 9th Regiment, the Secretary, have been well rewards, as already more than 6500 rs (£650) have been collected, and it is expected that 700rs will be remitted to Bombay.
Amongst some of the larger subscriptions I may mention the widow of the late Nawab, 310rs, a Rajah in the neighbourhood of Baroda sent us 1000rs, whilst the Moolah, or High Priest of the Borahs (who, it may be as well to mention, are dissenting Mussullmans), gave 500rs, Mr Merwanjee Hormusjee, 225 rs, and Mr LIddell, the collector, 100rs.
The native take great interest in the war, and though they, or at least the greater part of them, have but a vague notion of it’s origina and progress, yet they justly havea horror of the ‘Russes tog’.
I remain, John G Watts, 9th Regt N.I.”
