# Pollock Medal

The Pollock Medal was a prize awarded to the best cadet of the season, in commemoration of Sir George Pollock's exploits in Afghanistan, first at the East India Company's Military Seminary at Addiscombe, and later at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich.

## Foundation

In 1844, the British inhabitants of Calcutta raised a subscription of 11,000 rupees to commemorate General George Pollock's victories in Afghanistan after the disastrous retreat of the British army of occupation from Kabul in January 1842. This was to consist of a medal to be presented twice a year “to the most distinguished cadet at the East India Company’s Military Seminary, at Addiscombe, near Croydon in England, on passing the biennial examination for a commission.”

## Description

The original medal, with a weight of 2oz and valued at sixteen guineas, was designed by General Macleod and was first presented in December 1847, with the following inscription:
To commemorate eminent services
Major-General Sir George Pollock, K.C.B.
Bengal Artillery, Cabul 1842
Treachery avenged – British honour vindicated – Disasters retrieved – British captives delivered – Khyber Pass forced – Jellalabad relieved – Victories of Mamoo Khail, Jugdulluck, Tezeen, Istaliff
And on the reverse:
Military Seminary, Addiscombe
Pollock Prize
Presented by the British Inhabitants of Calcutta, and Awarded by the Court of Directors of the East India Company, to the most distinguished Cadet of the Season.

## Changes

In 1861, the Secretary of State for India, who was now responsible for the management of Indian affairs after the British government had taken India over from the East India Company, decided to have a new medal of a smaller size. The medal was valued at twelve guineas, and part of the inscription recording the services of Sir George Pollock and his army was omitted.
The new version continued to have the portrait of Sir George Pollock but with the inscription:
Pollock, Cabul, 1842
And on its reverse:
Pollock Prize, Royal Military Academy
Founded by the British inhabitants of Calcutta to commemorate the eminent services of Major-General Sir George Pollock, G.C.B., and awarded to the most distinguished Cadet of the season
Although Sir George Pollock was not consulted over the changes, he continued to present the medal in person whenever his health allowed him until 4 months before his death, when he presented it to John Copsey Addison in June 1872.
In 1861 the East India Company handed over control of its Indian possessions to the British government and the East India Company's military units were incorporated into the British army. The Military Seminary at Addiscombe was closed and the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich took over the training of new officers, and the awarding of the Pollock Medal.
With the outbreak of the Second World War, the training course ceased. In 1947 the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich and Royal Military College at Sandhurst were amalgamated to become the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Sandhurst now presents the top cadet with the Queen's Medal.

## Holders

The following is the roll of Pollock Medallists until February 1875 as recorded on tablets fixed on the walls of the great dining hall of the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich:

### Awarded at Addiscombe

| NAME | AWARDED | GAZETTED TO | NAME | AWARDED | GAZETTED TO |
| Edward C.S. Williams | June, 1848 | Bengal Engineers | James J. McL. Innes | December, 1848 | Bengal Engineers |
| Thomas G. Montgomerie | June, 1849 | Bengal Engineers | George A. Craster | December, 1849 | Bengal Engineers |
| Patrick Stewart | June, 1850 | Bengal Engineers | Frederick S. Stanton | December, 1850 | Bengal Engineers |
| Henry Goodwyn | June, 1851 | Ditto | James P. Basevi | December, 1851 | Bengal Engineers |
| Arthur M. Lang | June, 1852 | Bengal Engineers | Salisbury M. Trevor | December, 1852 | Bengal Engineers |
| John U. Champain | June, 1853 | Bengal Engineers | Edward R. Holland | December, 1853 | Bombay Engineers |
| William Jeffreys | June, 1854 | Bengal Engineers | Aeneas R. R. Macdonald | December, 1854 | Temp. Commission H.E.I.Co's Engineers |
| Charles H. Luard | June, 1855 | Bengal Engineers | John Eckford | December, 1855 | Bengal Engineers |
| John M. McNeile | June, 1856 | Bengal Engineers | John Herschel | December, 1856 | Bengal Engineers |
| Keith A. Jopp | June, 1857 | Bombay Engineers | Lewis C. Gordon | December, 1857 | Bengal Engineers |
| William M. Campbell | June, 1858 | Bombay Engineers | William H. Pierson | December, 1858 | Bengal Engineers |
| Arthur W. Elliot | June, 1859 | Not appointed – resigned the service | William Shepherd | December, 1859 | Bengal Engineers |
| Allan J. C. Cunningham | June, 1860 | Bengal Engineers | Kellow C. Pye | December, 1860 | Royal Engineers |
| William J. Williamson | June, 1861 | General List, Royal Infantry | | | |

### Awarded at Woolwich

| NAME | AWARDED | GAZETTED TO | NAME | AWARDED | GAZETTED TO |
| | | | Clayton S. Beauchamp | December, 1861 | Royal Engineers |
| Thomas Fraser | June, 1862 | Royal Engineers | Valentine F. Rowe | December, 1862 | Royal Engineers |
| Herbert P. Knocker | June, 1863 | Royal Engineers | Francis Mascall | December, 1863 | Royal Engineers |
| Henry R. G. Georges | June, 1864 | Royal Engineers | William G. Nicholson | December, 1864 | Royal Engineers |
| Sydney L. Jacob | June, 1865 | Royal Engineers | Charles M. Watson | December, 1865 | Royal Engineers |
| John E. Broadbent | June, 1866 | Royal Engineers | Harry M. Chambers | December, 1866 | Royal Engineers |
| Felician R. de Wolski | June, 1867 | Royal Engineers | Francis J. Day | December, 1867 | Royal Engineers |
| George S. Clarke | June, 1868 | Royal Engineers | Henry H. S. Cunynghame | December, 1868 | Royal Engineers |
| Henry J. Harman | June, 1869 | Royal Engineers | Richard de Villamil | December, 1869 | Royal Engineers |
| Herbert C. Chermside | June, 1870 | Royal Engineers | Philip Cardew | December, 1870 | Royal Engineers |
| Henry G. Kunhardt | June, 1871 | Royal Engineers | Henry E. McCallum | February, 1872 | Royal Engineers |
| John C. Addison | June, 1872 | Royal Engineers | William C. Godsal | October, 1872 | Royal Engineers |
| Henry D. Love | February, 1873 | Royal Engineers | John C. Campbell | June, 1973 | Royal Engineers |
| Matthew H. P. R. Sankey | October, 1873 | Royal Engineers | Charles F. Hadden | February, 1874 | Royal Artillery |
| Hugh M. Sinclair | July, 1874 | Royal Engineers | Maurice A. Cameron | February, 1875 | Royal Engineers |
| Hubert J. Foster | July, 1875 | Royal Engineers | Vincent H. P. Caillard | February, 1876 | Royal Engineers |
| James H. Cowan | July, 1876 | Royal Engineers | William H Turton | February, 1877 | Royal Engineers |
| Alfred P. Codd | July, 1877 | Royal Engineers | Henry D. Laffan | December, 1877 | Royal Engineers |
| Edward Agar | April, 1878 | Royal Engineers | Alfred M. Mantell | July, 1878 | Royal Engineers |
| Stuart Davidson | December, 1878 | Royal Engineers | John Winn | April, 1879 | Royal Engineers |
| James Dallas | July, 1879 | Royal Engineers | Edward H. Hemming | February, 1880 | Royal Engineers |
| Matthew Nathan | May, 1880 | Royal Engineers | William F. H. S. Kincaid | July, 1880 | Royal Engineers |
| Cecil Hill | February, 1881 | Royal Engineers | James E. Edmonds | July, 1881 | Royal Engineers |
| James R. L. Macdonald | February, 1882 | Royal Engineers | Ronald J. H. Mackenzie | July, 1882 | Royal Engineers |
| George A. S. Stone | February, 1883 | Royal Engineers | Walter G. Lawrie | July, 1883 | Royal Engineers |
| James H. L'E. Johnstone | February, 1884 | Royal Engineers | Charles F. Close | July, 1884 | Royal Engineers |
| Edward A. Edgell | December, 1884 | Royal Engineers | Hugh B. Williams | April, 1885 | Royal Engineers |
| Gerald P. Lenox-Conyngham | September, 1885 | Royal Engineers | H. M. St A. Wade | February, 1886 | Royal Engineers |
| Charles H. Versturme | July, 1886 | Royal Engineers | Theodore E. Naish | February, 1887 | Royal Engineers |
| Reginald F. G. Bond | July, 1887 | Royal Engineers | Edmund G. Godfrey-Faussett | February, 1888 | Royal Engineers |
| W. M. Coldstream | July, 1888 | Royal Engineers | Bertram H. Rooke | February, 1889 | Royal Engineers |
| James M. C. Colvin | July, 1889 | Royal Engineers | Joseph F. W. Johnson | February, 1890 | Royal Engineers |
| Edward H. M. Leggett | July, 1890 | Royal Engineers | Sydney G. Faber | February, 1891 | Royal Engineers |
| Reginald Polwhell | July, 1891 | Royal Engineers | Alexander W. H. Grubb | February, 1892 | Royal Engineers |
| Charles E. Vickers | July, 1892 | Royal Engineers | Walter C. Symon | February, 1893 | Royal Artillery |
| Edmund T. Rich | July, 1893 | Royal Engineers | John B. Corry | February, 1894 | Royal Engineers |
| Arthur ff. Garrett | August, 1894 | Royal Engineers | Harry O. Mance | March, 1895 | Royal Engineers |
| Lambert C. Jackson | August, 1895 | Royal Engineers | H. de L. Pollard-Lowsey | December, 1895 | Royal Engineers |
| Robert H. Thomas | June, 1896 | Royal Engineers | David Forster | December, 1896 | Royal Engineers |
| Charles W. Biggs | June, 1897 | Royal Engineers | Charles M. Browne | December, 1897 | Royal Engineers |
| Phillip O. G. Usborne | June, 1898 | Royal Engineers | Kenneth E. Edgeworth | December, 1898 | Royal Engineers |
| Charles Hordern | June, 1899 | Royal Engineers | Christopher C. Trench | December, 1899 | Royal Engineers |
| Malcolm N. MacLeod | April, 1900 | Royal Engineers | Edgar W. Cox | December, 1900 | Royal Engineers |
| J. A. B. P. Bowen | July, 1901 | Royal Engineers | C. W. Bushell | December, 1901 | Royal Engineers |
| E. H. G. Kirke | July, 1902 | Royal Engineers | C. R. Satterthwaite | December, 1902 | Royal Engineers |
| E. V. Binney | July, 1903 | Royal Engineers | R. H. Stallard | December, 1903 | Royal Engineers |
| D. G. Courtney | July, 1904 | Royal Engineers | R. S. Ryan | December, 1904 | Royal Artillery |
| E. M. Sinauer | July, 1905 | Royal Engineers | R. Hamilton | December, 1905 | Royal Engineers |
| A. Carrow | July, 1906 | Royal Engineers | C. G. Moores | December, 1906 | Royal Engineers |
| F. V. B. Witts | July, 1907 | Royal Engineers | Rowland L. Almond | December, 1907 | Royal Engineers |
| J. P. S. Greig | July, 1908 | Royal Engineers | R. P. Pakenham-Walsh | December, 1908 | Royal Engineers |
| C. L. T. Matheson | July, 1909 | Royal Engineers | R. G. W. H. Stone | December, 1909 | Royal Engineers |
| C. J. S. King | July, 1910 | Royal Engineers | W. O. Winter | December, 1910 | Royal Engineers |
| E. de S. Rideout | July, 1911 | Royal Engineers | W. E. Euler | December, 1911 | Royal Engineers |
| A. B. Aitken | July, 1912 | Royal Engineers | G. L. Miller | December, 1912 | Royal Engineers |
| E. F. Tickell | July, 1913 | Royal Engineers | H. P. W. Hutson | December, 1913 | Royal Engineers |
| A. D. Panke | July, 1914 | Royal Engineers | H. A. J. Parsons | December, 1914 | Royal Engineers |
| J. F. M. Whiteley | June, 1915 | Royal Engineers | D. L. Middlemas | December, 1915 | Royal Engineers |
| E. G. FitzHenry | June, 1916 | Royal Engineers | R. W. P. Yates | December, 1916 | Royal Engineers |
| D. Adamson | June, 1917 | Royal Engineers | S. G. Galpin | December, 1917 | Royal Engineers |
| E. I. C. Jacob | June, 1918 | Royal Engineers | W. G. C. Glossop | December, 1918 | Royal Artillery |
| J. A. Sinclair | June, 1919 | Royal Artillery | A. H. G. Napier | December, 1919 | Royal Engineers |
| W. H. Ray | December, 1919 | Royal Engineers | E. V. Daldy | July, 1920 | Royal Engineers |
| Not Issued | December, 1920 | | G. N. Tuck | July, 1921 | Royal Engineers |
| N. A. M. Swettenham | December, 1921 | Royal Engineers | A. J. H. Dove | July, 1922 | Royal Engineers |
| J. B. Tupman | December, 1922 | Royal Field Artillery | L. R. E. Fayle | July, 1923 | Royal Engineers |
| E. L. Kellett | December, 1923 | Royal Engineers | A. W. Kiggell | July, 1924 | Royal Engineers |
| J. C. R. Fitzgerald-Lombard | December, 1924 | Royal Engineers | W. F. Anderson | July, 1925 | Royal Engineers |
| C. P. Jones | December, 1925 | Royal Engineers | J. P. Chapman | December, 1925 | Royal Engineers |
| W. B. Sallitt | July, 1926 | Royal Engineers | M. C. Perceval | December, 1926 | Royal Engineers |
The above two lists are taken from the Memoir to Illustrate the Origin and Foundation of the Pollock Medal (1875), published anonymously but probably written by Field Marshal Sir Lintorn Simmons. Updated March 2016 by the son (see edit history for contact information) of the December 1928 recipient to include recipients after July 1875 using supplementary pages in his father's copy of the book. The following list was created from the RMAS Old College Notice Board. Note that in December 1925 there were two classes commissioned (Last of 4-term; first of 3-term.)
| NAME | AWARDED | GAZETTED TO | NAME | AWARDED | GAZETTED TO |
| R. W. Ewbank | July, 1927 | Royal Engineers | A. E. H. Hamilton | December, 1927 | Royal Artillery |
| H. E. C. de Chassiron | July, 1928 | Royal Artillery | W. H. C. Travers | December, 1928 | Royal Engineers |
| K. R. Brazier-Creagh | 1929 | Royal Artillery | P. G. Hatch | 1929 | Royal Engineers |
| J. G. McKendrick | 1930 | Royal Engineers | A. P. Lavies | 1930 | Royal Engineers |
| A. H. G. Dobson | 1931 | Royal Engineers | D. C. Cameron | 1931 | Royal Engineers |
| A. F. Bell | 1932 | Royal Engineers | H. L. Lloyd | 1932 | Royal Engineers |
| R. L. White | 1933 | Royal Engineers | H. R. Carr | 1933 | Royal Engineers |
| T. G. H. Kirkwood | 1934 | Royal Engineers | A. C. Lewis | 1934 | Royal Engineers |
| E. M. Hall | 1935 | Royal Engineers | John E. L. Carter | 1935 | Royal Engineers |
| R. N. K. Barge | 1936 | Royal Engineers | J. M. Flint | 1936 | Royal Engineers |
| D. Ross | 1937 | Royal Engineers | R. F. Harris | 1937 | Royal Engineers |
| M. H. D. Lovell | 1938 | Royal Artillery | John R. E. Hamilton-Baillie | 1938 | Royal Engineers |
| David J. Willison | 1939 | Royal Engineers | | | |