Memorial details

Memorial type
Board / Plaque / Tablet
District
Vale Of White Horse
Town
Abingdon on Thames
County
Oxfordshire
Country
England
Commemoration
First and Second Anglo-Afghan Wars (1839-1842 and 1878-1880)
Lost
Not lost
WM Reference
88513

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Current location

St Helen's Church
St Helen's Wharf
Abingdon on Thames
Vale Of White Horse
Oxfordshire
OX14 5EL
England

OS Grid Ref: SU 49700 96786
Denomination: Undefined

View location on Google Maps
Description
A rectangular white marble tablet with plain border around, set on a black marble backboard. Incised lettering in black.
Inscription
IN MEMORY OF/ WILLIAM HENRY TOMBS/ A LIEUTENANT IN THE 5TH REGIMANT OF BENGAL/ NATIVE INFANTRY WHO SERVING WITH THE ARMY/ IN AFGHANISTAN FELL BEFORE THE ENEMY IN/ THE DISASTROUS MARCH OF THE BRITISH/ TROOPS FROM CABUL TOWARDS JELLALABAD/ IN JANUARY 1842. AND OF FRANCIS TOMBS A LIEUTENANT / IN THE 19TH REGIMENT OF BENGAL NATIVE / INFANTRY WHO DIED AT BARCILLY ON THE / 31ST JANUARY 1844.
Inscription legible?
yes
Names on memorial
Tombs, Francis
Tombs, William Henry
See details for all 2 names
Commemorations
  • First and Second Anglo-Afghan Wars (1839-1842 and 1878-1880)
    Total names on memorial: 2
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 2
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: forenames, surname, rank, place and date of death.
    Order of information: date of death
Components
  • Tablet
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Marble - White
  • Backboard
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Marble - Black
Listing information
Condition
Trust fund/Scholarship
No
Purpose: Unknown or N/A
Reference
  • The Bombay Times and Journal of Commerce (1838-1859); Bombay, India [Bombay, India]12 OFFICERS WITH THE FORCE LATELY AT CABOOL: H. M.'s 44th Regt. 5th Bengal Cavalry 5th Regt. N. I. 37th Regt. N. I. 54th Regt. N. I. General Staff King's Own Artillery Shah's 4th infantry (Ghoorkas.) Shah's 5th Infantry.--Gandahar Shah's 6th Infantry Affghan Irregular Horse Kohistan Rangers Anderson's Horse .... 5th Regt. N. I. .... Lieut. W. H. Tombs Not heard of since Evacuation of Cabool
  • The Abingdon 2004 www.abingdon.org.uk/uploads/school/files/news/abingdonian2004.pdf Tombs family at Abingdon School: A Nineteenth Century military family
  • Officers Killed - Afghanistan 1838-42 glosters.tripod.com/FAfghan.htm
  • A Short Guide and Tour of St Helen's Church www.abingdon-st-helens.org.uk/images/ChurchGuides/English-Guide.pdf
  • The Bombay Times and Journal of Commerce (1838-1859); Bombay, India [Bombay, India]14 Feb 1844: 101. DEATHS - ..... At Bareilly, on the morning of 31st January, Lieut. Francis Tombs, 19th Regt. N. I., son of Major General Tombs, BengalArmy, sincerely regretted by his brother officers.

This record comprises all information held by IWM’s War Memorials Register for this memorial. Where we hold a names list for the memorial, this information will be displayed on the memorial record. Please check back as we are adding more names to the database.

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© WMR-88513

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