| CAPTAIN FREDERICK WILLIAM DOBREE |
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| GOLCONDA LOCAL CORPS |
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Frederick William Dobree was born at St. Peter Port, Guernsey, on the
1st of September, 1831, the son of Daniel de Lisle Dobree and his wife
Harriet.
He was educated at St. Elizabeth College in Guernsey from 1841 to 1848,
followed by a short period at Blackheath Proprietary School until he was
admitted in 1849 to the East India Company Military Seminary at
Addiscombe on the recommendation of Lieutenant-Colonel Frederick
William Mann.
Commissioned an Ensign in the Madras Infantry on the 13th of June,
1851, he started for India by the overland route on the same day.
Upon arriving in India, Ensign Dobree was posted to do duty with the 9th
Madras Native Infantry. In March of 1852, he was directed to do duty
with the 50th Madras Native Infantry, but only a month later, on the
28th of April, he was finally posted to his regiment, the 43rd Madras
Native Infantry. On the 23rd of November 1856, Frederick was
promoted Lieutenant in that regiment.
1st of September, 1831, the son of Daniel de Lisle Dobree and his wife
Harriet.
He was educated at St. Elizabeth College in Guernsey from 1841 to 1848,
followed by a short period at Blackheath Proprietary School until he was
admitted in 1849 to the East India Company Military Seminary at
Addiscombe on the recommendation of Lieutenant-Colonel Frederick
William Mann.
Commissioned an Ensign in the Madras Infantry on the 13th of June,
1851, he started for India by the overland route on the same day.
Upon arriving in India, Ensign Dobree was posted to do duty with the 9th
Madras Native Infantry. In March of 1852, he was directed to do duty
with the 50th Madras Native Infantry, but only a month later, on the
28th of April, he was finally posted to his regiment, the 43rd Madras
Native Infantry. On the 23rd of November 1856, Frederick was
promoted Lieutenant in that regiment.
On the 10th of May, 1857, the troopers of the 3rd Bengal Light Cavalry rose against their British officers at the large
military cantonment at Meerut in northern India, the spark that was to ignite the Great Indian Mutiny. As the Mutiny was
primarily confined to the Bengal Presidency, few regiment from the Madras Presidency participated in the suppression of
the rebellion.
Although the 43rd MNI did not see service during the Indian Mutiny, Lieutenant Dobree, while still serving as an officer
with the 43rd MNI, was seconded to act as Adjutant of the Golconda Local Corps. Golconda is an ancient city near
Hyderabad, in what is now the Indian State of Andhra Pradesh. The city is dominated by the ancient fort of Golconda
which gave the city its name.
Lieutenant Dobree’s record of service states that during the Mutiny he was employed with the Golconda Local Corps in
quelling the disturbances in the Hill Tracts of the Golconda Zamindary. No further details are recorded; however,
Lieutenant Dobree received the thanks of the Government for his services, a fairly rare honour for a junior officer.
For his services with the Golconda Local Corps, Lieutenant Dobree received the Indian Mutiny medal without clasp. The
medal is named in the normal style of impressed capital letters. Only three Mutiny medal were issued named to the
Golconda Local Corps. Lieutenant Dobree’s medal may be the only surviving example.
Subsequent to the Indian Mutiny, Lieutenant Dobree served with the Sappers and Miners and was D.A.A.G., Northern
District. He was promoted to Captain and admitted to the Madras Staff Corps on the 13th of June 1863.
Captain Frederick William Dobree died at Waltair, now Visakhapatam, on the 11th of September 1869. He was 38 years
old.
Provenance: DNW (Brian Ritchie Collection) 2 March 2005, Lot 76; Glendining’s 25 Nov. 1987, Lot 77.
Sources: Statement of Services (IOR L/MIL/11/73).
Record of Service (IOR L/MIL/11/78).
1859 East India Register and Army List.
Hodson Index, National Army Museum.
military cantonment at Meerut in northern India, the spark that was to ignite the Great Indian Mutiny. As the Mutiny was
primarily confined to the Bengal Presidency, few regiment from the Madras Presidency participated in the suppression of
the rebellion.
Although the 43rd MNI did not see service during the Indian Mutiny, Lieutenant Dobree, while still serving as an officer
with the 43rd MNI, was seconded to act as Adjutant of the Golconda Local Corps. Golconda is an ancient city near
Hyderabad, in what is now the Indian State of Andhra Pradesh. The city is dominated by the ancient fort of Golconda
which gave the city its name.
Lieutenant Dobree’s record of service states that during the Mutiny he was employed with the Golconda Local Corps in
quelling the disturbances in the Hill Tracts of the Golconda Zamindary. No further details are recorded; however,
Lieutenant Dobree received the thanks of the Government for his services, a fairly rare honour for a junior officer.
For his services with the Golconda Local Corps, Lieutenant Dobree received the Indian Mutiny medal without clasp. The
medal is named in the normal style of impressed capital letters. Only three Mutiny medal were issued named to the
Golconda Local Corps. Lieutenant Dobree’s medal may be the only surviving example.
Subsequent to the Indian Mutiny, Lieutenant Dobree served with the Sappers and Miners and was D.A.A.G., Northern
District. He was promoted to Captain and admitted to the Madras Staff Corps on the 13th of June 1863.
Captain Frederick William Dobree died at Waltair, now Visakhapatam, on the 11th of September 1869. He was 38 years
old.
Provenance: DNW (Brian Ritchie Collection) 2 March 2005, Lot 76; Glendining’s 25 Nov. 1987, Lot 77.
Sources: Statement of Services (IOR L/MIL/11/73).
Record of Service (IOR L/MIL/11/78).
1859 East India Register and Army List.
Hodson Index, National Army Museum.
