John Adam Tytler
Lieutenant, 66th Bengal Native Infantry
- Register No.
- 1243 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Lieutenant all Lieutenants →
- Unit
- 66th Bengal Native Infantry all 66th Bengal Native Infantry VCs →
- Date of action
- 10 February 1858 on this day → all of 1858 →
- Conflict / campaign
- Indian Mutiny
- London Gazette
- 23rd August 1858 on this day → all of 1858 →
- Born
- 29th October 1835 at Monghyr, Bengal, India
- Memorial / grave
- at the Christian Cemetery, Pohat, Pakistan
- Medal held by
- The Gurkha Museum, Winchester
Digest of citation
As they approached the enemy position on 10th February 1858 at Choopoorah, India, Lieutenant Tytler's men wavered as they came under heavy fire of round shot, grape and musket. Lieutenant Tytler charged ahead alone, on horseback, towards the enemy and attacked the rebel gunners. For a short time he was engaged in hand-to-hand fighting until he was reached by the his troops and the position was carried. Before his men arrived he had been shot through the left arm and had received a spear wound in the chest as well as a ball through the sleeve of his uniform jacket
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
TYTLER, John Adam. (reg No. 1243).
Lieutenant. 66th Bengal Native Infantry. * London Gazetted on 23rd August 1858.
VC Medal's Custodian is The Gurkha Museum, Winchester.
Born on 29th October 1835 at Monghyr, Bengal, India.
Died of pneumonia on 14th February 1880 at Thal, Kurram Valley, North West Frontier of India.
Memorial on grave at the Christian Cemetery, Pohat, Pakistan.
Digest of Citation reads: As they approached the enemy position on 10th February 1858 at Choopoorah, India, Lieutenant Tytler's men wavered as they came under heavy fire of round shot, grape and musket. Lieutenant Tytler charged ahead alone, on horseback, towards the enemy and attacked the rebel gunners. For a short time he was engaged in hand-to-hand fighting until he was reached by the his troops and the position was carried. Before his men arrived he had been shot through the left arm and had received a spear wound in the chest as well as a ball through the sleeve of his uniform jacket.
* 1st Gurkha Rifles.
Additional information:. Brigadier-General Tytler was also a Companion of the Order of the Bath. He was a son of a surgeon to the East India Company, Mr and Mrs John Tytler. He was sent home at the age of five from India to be brought up by his mother's sisters until his parents returned in 18 35. On moving to Jersey he attended a local school until his father's death. His mother then moved to Edinburgh where he attended the Academy. He joined the East India Company in 1843. He joined the 66th Bengal Native Infantry in 1844 seeing action at Peshawar. He died of pneumonia at the age of 44, weakened by the severe wounds received. He was credited with turning raw levies into one the smartest Gurkha Regiments in the Indian Army.
Additional information
Brigadier-General Tytler was also a Companion of the Order of the Bath. He was a son of a surgeon to the East India Company, Mr and Mrs John Tytler. He was sent home at the age of five from India to be brought up by his mother's sisters until his parents returned in 18 35. On moving to Jersey he attended a local school until his father's death. His mother then moved to Edinburgh where he attended the Academy. He joined the East India Company in 1843. He joined the 66th Bengal Native Infantry in 1844 seeing action at Peshawar. He died of pneumonia at the age of 44, weakened by the severe wounds received. He was credited with turning raw levies into one the smartest Gurkha Regiments in the Indian Army.
* 1st Gurkha Rifles.
Died of pneumonia on 14th February 1880 at Thal, Kurram Valley,
North West Frontier of India.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: at the Christian Cemetery, Pohat, Pakistan
Map links open a search for the place name Alf recorded; please check opening times and exact locations before travelling. Many VC graves have since been restored by the Victoria Cross Trust.
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