Category: Military
Rank: Lieutenant Colonel (Retired)
Regiment or Ship: British Red Cross Society
Occupation: Indian Staff Corps (Lieutenant Colonel retired) and the Indian Service.
Date of Birth: 13.06.1858
Place of Birth: The Vicarage, Church Street, Uttoxeter
Date of Death: 29.08.1915
Place of Death: 10 Dorset Road, Bexhill on Sea, Sussex.
Place of Burial / Memorials:
St. Mary’s Churchyard, Uttoxeter.
Address: The Vicarage, Church Street, Uttoxeter
Photos and newspaper articles
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Family Information
Parents:
Henry Abud, MA, born circa 1822 in Highgate, Middlesex. He was the vicar of Uttoxeter for over 50 years. Died January 1902.
Siblings:
Miss Abud and Mrs. Sneyd-Kinnersly of the Dearndales, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire.
Wife Rhoda Mary – d 1913.
Daughter Eileen Mary – 1899 aged 6.
First World War Experience
Henry went to Sandhurst and served with the Indian Army and afterwards served in Asia for many years eventually rising to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. It is recorded that at some point he was the Governor of Aden.
When war broke out in August 1914 Henry was past military age but made his way to the front as a volunteer with the British Red Cross. He actually went out to the Western Front in his own car – with his own chauffeur. He paid for this car to be converted to carry stretchers and he placed this and his services at the disposal of the British Authorities. He and his chauffeur were duly placed with the Transport Department of the British Red Cross Society.
The winter of 1914/1915 was a severe one and he worked all through this period at the front rescuing over 3000 wounded men from under fire in the trenches. However, although he was in good health when he volunteered, this massive endeavour meant that he contracted bronchitis through the constant exposure to the elements and was sent back to England – to a nursing home in Bexhill-on-Sea, 10 Dorset Road – where the bronchitis developed into pneumonia. He died on 29th August 1915.
His body was taken to Uttoxeter and he was interred in the family vault with his parents, wife and daughter.
His obituary quoted a letter published in the Bexhill Chronicle from an old acquaintance and reads:
Lying in a room in a well-known nursing home is an officer whom one might almost say had given his life for his country. This is Colonel Abud, retired list, Bombay Army. His record is as follows: “He went out last September, taking with him his motor-car and chauffeur; he voluntarily placed his services at the disposal of the British authorities, and was appointed to the transport department. He worked all through the winter, bringing wounded men to the base hospital from under fire, and was risking his life daily. He was in excellent health when he began, and managed to keep going until early this month, (August), when he had to give it up, utterly broken down with bronchitis, contracted during the winter from constant exposure. For all his heroic work he did not get a penny of pay. He has brought over 3000 men back from under fire at the trenches, has spent over £1000 of his own money, and given up his precious health, and never even had a Thank you for it; but he was a modest man, like all heroes, and if he knew that I was letting the public know of his doings, would be very angry. So please don’t tell him it was me.”
Henry was awarded the Victory (Indian) Medal, the British War Medal, and The 1914 Star.
Additional Information
He was made a Lieutenant on 27.01.1876, a Captain on 27.01.1887, a Major on 27.01.1896, and a Lieutenant Colonel on 27.01.1902.
His Probate Record says that he left a sum of £1,672. 2s. 8d.
He was a member of a branch of the United Grand Lodge of England – “The Kathiawar Lodge”.