The Campaigns and History of the Royal Irish Regiment, [v. 1,] from 1684 to 1902

by G. le M. Gretton

20. General Sir Richard Denis Kelly, K.C.B.

Richard Denis Kelly was born on the 9th of March, 1815, and obtained his first commission in 1834. He served with the 34th Regiment in the Crimea, and was wounded at the siege of Sebastopol (Twice mentioned in despatches, Medal and clasp, Knight of the Legion of Honour, 5th class of the Medjidie, and Turkish Medal). He served in the Indian Mutiny, 1857-59, and commanded the 34th Regiment in the actions at Cawnpore (wounded), capture of Meeangunge, siege and capture of Lucknow, and relief of Azimghur. Commanded a column during the operations in Oude. Commanded a field force on the Nepaul Frontier, and defeated the rebels near Bootwull (horse shot). Colonel Kelly was frequently mentioned in despatches, and received the thanks of the Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief (Medal and clasp, C.B., K.C.B.) Sir Richard Kelly attained the rank of General in November, 1880, and was appointed to the Colonelcy of the 18th Royal Irish on the 24th of January, 1886.

21. General George Frederick Stevenson Call, C.B.

George Call received his first commission as Ensign in the 18th Royal Irish on April 7th, 1837, and served with it during the war in China of 1840-42. He was present at the first capture of Chusan, the attack of the forts on the Canton River, the storming of the heights and fort of Canton, and the capture of Amoy (Medal). He proceeded to Burmah with the 18th Royal Irish, and served on the staff throughout the war of 1852-53 as Brigade Major of the 1st Bengal Brigade, and afterwards as A.A.G. of the Pegu Division. He was present at the destruction of the stockades on the Rangoon River, at the storming of the citadel of Rangoon, and at the capture of Prome (Medal with clasp for Pegu). Major Call served in the Crimea with the 18th Royal Irish from December, 1854, to the end of the war, including the siege and fall of Sebastopol (Medal with clasp, Brevet of Lieutenant-Colonel, Sardinian and Turkish Medals, and 5th class of the Medjidie). Colonel Call was awarded the C.B., and attained the rank of General on July 1st, 1881. He was appointed to the Colonelcy of the 18th Royal Irish on March 9th, 1889.

22. General Robert Walter M‘Leod Fraser.

General Fraser acted as Staff Officer to a Detachment sent in 1837 against the rebels in Canada. He also served with the 6th Regiment in the Kaffir War of 1846-47 (Medal). In October 1857, he was commissioned to raise the 2nd Battalion of the 6th Regiment, and, having within one month obtained upwards of a thousand recruits, he was gazetted on the 25th of November, 1857, to be Lieutenant-Colonel of the Battalion. He became Major-General in 1868, Lieutenant-General in 1880, and General in 1881. General Fraser was appointed to the Colonelcy of the 18th Royal Irish on the 8th of January, 1895.

23. Lieutenant-General Sir Henry Marshman Havelock-Allan, Bart., V.C., G.C.B.

Henry Marshman Havelock, the eldest son of Sir Henry Havelock, K.C.B., the hero of the Indian Mutiny, was born on the 6th of August, 1830, and obtained his first commission as Ensign in the 10th Lincoln Regiment on the 31st of March, 1846. His first active service was in the Persian Expedition as D.A.Q.M.G. from the 15th of February, 1857, including the bombardment and capture of Mohumrah (Medal).

Captain Havelock next served throughout the Indian Campaigns of 1857-59; as A.D.C. to General Havelock in the actions of Futtehpore, Aoung, Pandoo Nuddee, and Cawnpore; and afterwards as D.A.A.G. in numerous engagements including Oonao, Nawabgunge, Bithoor, Alumbagh, and relief of Lucknow on the 25th of September—dangerously wounded and horse shot—defence of the Residency until relieved by Sir Colin Campbell on the 17th of November, on which day he was again severely wounded. With the Jounpore Field Force, as D.A.A.G., he was present at the actions of Misrutpore, Chanda, Umeerpore, and Sultanpore. He then served with the 4th Division before Lucknow from the 4th of March until its fall. As D.A.A.G. with Lugard’s Column, he was present at the relief of Azimghur. Later in the campaign he commanded the 1st Regiment of Hodson’s Horse. He was repeatedly mentioned in despatches, and received the brevets of Major and Lieutenant-Colonel, a year’s service for Lucknow, and the Medal with two clasps. For his gallant conduct at the battle of Cawnpore in leading a direct attack upon artillery in action at close range, he was awarded the Victoria Cross.