ABUD, HENRY MALLABY

Henry Mallaby Abud was a civilian. Nevertheless, the townsfolk included his name on their War Memorial, and when you hear his story, you will understand why.

The 1891 census lists his father, Henry Abud, MA, as born in about 1822 in Highgate, Middlesex. He went on to be the Prebendary (vicar) of Uttoxeter for over 50 years and lived in the Vicarage alongside the church.

St Mary’s Church of England

Henry was a high achiever. He joined the army long before the Great War and went to Sandhurst. He spent many years in Asia, where he rose to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel.

The Indian Army Quarterly List for 1st January 1912 recorded him as serving as a British Officer in the Indian Army in Bombay. He had received his first commission on 27th January 1876 at the age of just 17 and was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel at the age of 44 on 27th January 1902.

He later became the Governor of Aden for a period.

By the time the Great War broke out, Henry Abud had lost most, if not all, of the key members of his family - his father, mother, daughter, Eileen Mary, and his wife had all died: his daughter, Eileen Mary, had died in December 1899 at the age of just 6 years old, and his wife, Rhoda Mary, had died in January 1913.

Although he was past military age, he made his way to the front line as a volunteer with the British Red Cross Society in France. The story of his service at the front is one of the most remarkable tales that have emerged during the course of researching Uttoxeter’s war dead. His is a very moving story of self-sacrifice.

He went to the Western Front in September 1914, barely a month after war had been declared, taking with him his motor-car and chauffeur. He had paid to have his car converted to carry stretchers and he volunteered his services to the British Authorities. He and his chauffeur were appointed to the transport department and served with the British Red Cross Society.

He worked all through the winter, bringing wounded men to the base hospital from under fire, and this involved risking his life daily. He did this all through the winter of 1914 and spring of 1915 in severe weather, ‘rendering truly gallant service’. He was in excellent health when he began, and managed to keep going until early August 1915, when he had to give it up, ‘utterly broken down with bronchitis, contracted during the winter from constant exposure’.

He was not paid for any of this work, but brought over 3000 men back from under fire at the trenches. This averages over 10 men per day, seven days per week, throughout the time that he was running his rescue missions.

He also spent over £1000 of his own money in the process, which was a huge sum of money at the time.

In describing him, a friend said that he had “given up his precious health, and never even had a ‘thank you’ for it; but he was a modest man, like all heroes...”. He was also described as having ‘kindness of heart’ and a ‘quiet demeanour that endeared him to all’. It was also said that he always tried to do his duty and was loved and respected by all.

He was brought back to England and sent to a nursing home at Bexhill-on-Sea, where he died when the bronchitis turned to pneumonia.

His death came as a great shock to his relatives because the latest report of his condition had given them cause to hope for a satisfactory recovery. [4]

His obituary in the Uttoxeter Advertiser described his as having ‘kindness of heart’ and a ‘quiet demeanour that endeared him to all’. It also said that he always tried to do his duty and was loved and respected by all, including many native chiefs, whom he met during his service in India. He was also a natural linguist and a Freemason for many years.

His obituary in the Uttoxeter Advertiser quoted a letter which was published in the ‘Bexhill Chronicle’ and supplied by an old acquaintance, who was a military officer:

  “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’s me. – S.C.K.”

His body was brought back to Uttoxeter by road and placed in the church before burial in the family vault in St. Mary’s Churchyard by the side of his wife, who had died two years earlier. The family vault also contains his daughter and his parents.

A large number of townsfolk attended his funeral, including his immediate family and friends and the officers and brethren of the Foresters Lodge (456) of Freemasons.

The Reverend L. Knights-Smith, who would come to lose his two sons during the course of the war, read the service in church, and at the graveside the Freemasons’ burial service was read by the Rev. W.C.G. Sharp.

During the afternoon, muffled peals were rung on the church bells.

The Abud family vault is situated at the edge of the churchyard overlooking Church Street and the Vicarage. In this picture, Henry’s parents are in the grave which is marked by the taller of the two crosses and closest to the camera. Henry, his wife and daughter are in the grave furthest away and closest to the Vicarage. The Vicarage can be seen on the right of the picture

Henry’s inscription is difficult to read, but it can still be made out:

HENRY MALLABY ABUD

BORN JUNE 13th  1858, AT REST AUGUST 29th  1915’

Henry had at least two sisters – Miss Abud and Mrs. Sneyd-Kinnersly of the Dearndales, Uttoxeter, Staffordsire.

Image reproduced with kind permission of The British Newspaper Archive (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)

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