Thomas Cadell

For other people named Thomas Cadell, see Thomas Cadell (disambiguation).

Colonel Thomas Cadell VC CB (5 September 1835 – 6 April 1919) was an army officer who served in India. He served during the 1857 rebellion and was a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He later served as a governor and chief commissioner in the Andaman Islands. Cadell was the younger brother of General Sir Robert Cadell, K.C.B. and was educated at Edinburgh Academy.

Thomas Cadell
Born	5 September 1835 Cockenzie, East Lothian
Died	6 April 1919 (aged 83)
Buried	Tranent Churchyard
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service / branch	Bengal Army British Indian Army
Years of service	1854 - 1892
Rank	Colonel
Unit	2nd European Bengal Fusiliers Indian Staff Corps
Battles / wars	Indian Mutiny
Awards	Victoria Cross Companion of the Order of the Bath
Other work	Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Victoria Cross

Cadell was 21 years old and a lieutenant in the 2nd European Bengal Fusiliers (later The Royal Munster Fusiliers) during the Indian Mutiny when he performed the deeds on 12 June 1857 at Delhi, India which resulted in being awarded the Victoria Cross:

For having, on the 12th of June, 1857, at the Flag-staff Picquet at Delhi, when the whole of the Picquet of Her Majesty's 75th Regiment and 2nd European Bengal Fusiliers were driven in by a large body of the enemy, brought in from amongst the enemy a wounded Bugler of his own regiment, under a most severe fire, who would otherwise have been cut up by the rebels. Also, on the same day, when the Fusiliers were retiring, by order, on Metcalfe's house, on its being reported that there was a wounded man left behind, Lieutenant Cadell went back of his own accord towards the enemy, accompanied by three men, and brought in a man of the 75th Regiment, who was severely wounded, under a most heavy fire from the advancing enemy.

Further information

Cadell later achieved the rank of colonel in the service of the Indian Staff Corps and held various political appointments in India. From 1879 to 1892, he was the Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. He was the cousin of Samuel Hill Lawrence. The prominent Cadell Road in Bombay (now Mumbai), was named after him. After the Indian Independence in 1947, it was renamed after Indian freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, who was lodged at the Cellular Jail in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Memorial tablet in the Cadell family vault at Tranent Churchyard

Family

He was married to Anna Catherine Dalmahoy (d.1876), daughter of Patrick Dalmahoy WS (1798–1872) and Catherine Sawers.

References

• Indian Army at www.armynavyairforce.co.uk

External links

• Location of grave and VC medal (Edinburgh)