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Dictionary of Indian Biography (Buckland)

Dictionary of Indian Biography M to R

Data table details
Date transcribed	2011-08-00
Transcribed by	Peter Bailey
Comment	Note that notables of Indian, Afghan, etc. origin do not always follow the alphabetical name patterns established by Buckland in his original work.

	Surname	Mcdonell
	First Name(s)	William Fraser
	Birth Year	1829
	Death Year	1894
	Entry	I.C.S. : son of Eneas Ranald McDonell, of the Madras Civil Service : born Dec. 17, 1829 : educated at Cheltenham and Haileybury : went out to Lower Bengal in 1850, and served chiefly in the Judicial line, as Judge of Krishnagar, and Patna : Judge of the High Court from 1874 to 1886, when he retired. He was a keen sportsman, and for years a Steward of the Calcutta Turf Club. A memorial was erected in his honour, near the High Court. In the mutiny, he accompanied, as a volunteer, the expedition sent by General Lloyd under Captain Dunbar to the relief of the Arrah garrison : the party fell into an ambush and had to retreat : the survivors reached a stream which had to be crossed in boats, but these were fastened to the bank, and the party was subjected to a heavy fire from the rebels. McDonell, at the imminent risk of his life, exposed himself to free one of the boats full of men, and, amidst a perfect storm of bullets, managed to unfasten it, and it quickly drifted down the stream and out of range. For this gallant act he received the Victoria Cross. He subsequently was engaged in the operations against Kooer Singh in Bihar. He died at Cheltenham on July 31, 1894.

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A List of eminent persons who served in British India, together with short biographical notes of each

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