Andaman Islands expedition facts for kids
The Andaman Islands expedition was a British journey to the Andaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal, India. During this expedition, five brave soldiers from the 24th Regiment of Foot were awarded the Victoria Cross, which is a very high military honor. These soldiers were David Bell, James Cooper, Campbell Mellis Douglas, Thomas Murphy, and William Griffiths. They risked their lives to steer a boat through dangerous waves to save their friends. These friends had gone to the island to find the commander and seven crew members of a ship called the Assam Valley. People worried they had been killed by the native Onge tribesmen.
The First Journey to the Island
Before 1867, the British in India didn't pay much attention to Little Andaman island. But on March 21, 1867, something important happened. The captain and seven crew members of the ship Assam Valley went ashore. They wanted to collect wood.
The Assam Valley crew saw them get past the reef at the island's southern tip. The landing party brought their boat ashore and went into the jungle. After two days, they still hadn't returned. So, the Assam Valley sailed to Rangoon to report what happened.
This event is known as the Assam Valley Incident. It led to fights sometimes called the Onge Wars. Many Onge people lost their lives in these conflicts. After the report, another ship was sent to Little Andaman. But it came back without finding anyone. It only reported seeing a piece of clothing, maybe a sailor's cap, on the beach.
A few days later, the Kwang Tung ship from Port Blair was sent. Mr. Homfray, a British officer, was in charge. He brought some local people to show that the crew meant no harm. But this plan didn't work. When they arrived, the native Onge people attacked the group. They had to quickly go back to their boats under covering fire. The missing men were still not found. This trip was seen as a failure.
So, a bigger expedition was planned. It included a small group of soldiers. This new group, also on the Kwang Tung, arrived on May 6, 1867. This was seven weeks after the first disappearance. Three boats were sent to the shore. All of them came under attack from the Onge.
In the jungle, a skull was found. People believed it belonged to one of the first missing party. Four bodies were also found on the beach. They were badly decomposed. The Onge tried to trick the landing party into going deeper into the jungle. But the soldiers stayed on the beach and fired back. When their ammunition started to run low, they signaled for a rescue boat. However, the rescue boat flipped over on its way in. A Lieutenant sadly drowned.
The Brave Rescue
It was hard to leave the island because of the strong waves and not enough equipment. Two hundred Onge people tried to attack. But the soldiers had just received more supplies and ammunition. This ammunition had arrived on the capsized rescue boat. The soldiers managed to push back the attack.
Finally, a boat from the Assam Valley arrived. On board were David Bell, James Cooper, Campbell Mellis Douglas, Thomas Murphy, and William Griffiths. All the people who were stranded were rescued. They were safely returned to the Kwang Tung ship.
