Lot Essay
Lieutenant-Colonel George Miller Dobbin, of Drumulla House, County Louth, was born in 1833 and was commissioned as a 1st Lieutenant in the Bengal Artillery from Addiscombe in December 1850.
During operations in, and around Rangoon he served in the 5th Battalion, B.A., under Major C.S. Reid, who with four guns effected the breach in the White House Stockade for the stormers of the 51st Regiment on 12.4.1852. In March of the following year, he took part in Sir John Cheape's 1500-strong Donubyu Expedition to hunt down Myat Tun, which after a punishing series of marches and counter-marches tracked the Rebel Chief to his powerful stronghold at the head of a creek. On 19 March, at the bloody repulse of the first Infantry assault, Sir John Cheape sent for the Expedition's sole howitzer, and only 9-pounder, in order to maintain the pressure on the enemy whilst a second Infantry attempt was mounted. Reid responded with alacrity and 'brought up his two guns to within 25 yards of the enemy's position and in open ground began to fire cannister. When Reid was wounded, Lieutenant St. G. Ashe took his place and, helped by Lieutenant G.M. Dobbin, continued to fire'. Finally, on Sir John's orders, the Light Infantry Call was sounded and the troops rallied to carry the stockades.
During the Indian Mutiny Dobbin held Phillaur Fort as the Officiating Deputy Commissary of Ordnance in charge of the magazine, surviving in tact the co-ordinated mutiny of the Phillaur Garrison and that of the neighbouring Jullundur. He was advanced to Major in July 1872 and retired as an Hon. Lieutenant-Colonel on 4.2.1874. A J.P. for Counties Armagh and Louth, Colonel Dobbin, who was High Sheriff of Armagh in 1884, died at Drumulla on 6.7.1919, aged 86 years.
During operations in, and around Rangoon he served in the 5th Battalion, B.A., under Major C.S. Reid, who with four guns effected the breach in the White House Stockade for the stormers of the 51st Regiment on 12.4.1852. In March of the following year, he took part in Sir John Cheape's 1500-strong Donubyu Expedition to hunt down Myat Tun, which after a punishing series of marches and counter-marches tracked the Rebel Chief to his powerful stronghold at the head of a creek. On 19 March, at the bloody repulse of the first Infantry assault, Sir John Cheape sent for the Expedition's sole howitzer, and only 9-pounder, in order to maintain the pressure on the enemy whilst a second Infantry attempt was mounted. Reid responded with alacrity and 'brought up his two guns to within 25 yards of the enemy's position and in open ground began to fire cannister. When Reid was wounded, Lieutenant St. G. Ashe took his place and, helped by Lieutenant G.M. Dobbin, continued to fire'. Finally, on Sir John's orders, the Light Infantry Call was sounded and the troops rallied to carry the stockades.
During the Indian Mutiny Dobbin held Phillaur Fort as the Officiating Deputy Commissary of Ordnance in charge of the magazine, surviving in tact the co-ordinated mutiny of the Phillaur Garrison and that of the neighbouring Jullundur. He was advanced to Major in July 1872 and retired as an Hon. Lieutenant-Colonel on 4.2.1874. A J.P. for Counties Armagh and Louth, Colonel Dobbin, who was High Sheriff of Armagh in 1884, died at Drumulla on 6.7.1919, aged 86 years.