Full medal write up
AFGHANISTAN 1878-80, NO CLASP ‘LT. T. J. O’D. RENNY, 4TH PUN, INFY.’
Thomas John O’Dwyer Renny was born at Mussoorie on 15 August 1846, third son of Colonel Robert Renny, C.B., Bengal Staff Corps. He entered H.M.’s Service on 11 April 1868, as an Ensign in the 31st Foot, but was transferred on the same day to the 36th Foot, and being in India when he was gazetted, he joined the latter regiment at Peshawar in the succeeding June. In November 1869 he accompanied the regiment to Rawal Pindi, and, on 28 October 1871, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. On 5 January 1872, he was appointed Second Wing Subaltern in the 4th Punjab Infantry, on probation for the Bengal Staff Corps, into which he was subsequently admitted with effect from that date. He joined this regiment at Abbottabad, and at that station from February 1873 to April 1874 he officiated as Quarter- Master of the corps, acting also as Adjutant, in addition, from the month of January. In April 1874 he was appointed First Wing Subaltern, and, still officiating as Adjutant, he, in December of that year, marched with the regiment to Kohat, at which station he continued officiating as Adjutant of the corps until February 1870. From September 1876 to May 1877 he again officiated as Quarter-Master, and during this period a reorganisation of regimental appointments having taken place, his permanent appointment received the designation of “Wing Officer”.
In August 1877 he took part with the regiment in a raid into the country of the Jowaki Afridis, carried out in reprisal of Jowaki incursions into British territory, and in the following winter, as Adjutant of the regiment (to which post he was permanently appointed in November 1877'), he served with the corps throughout the arduous operations against that troublesome clan (India Medal and Clasp). On the termination of this campaign he accompanied the regiment to Edwardesabad, arriving there in April 1878, and during the cold season of 1878-79 he was actively employed with the corps in protecting the Tank border against the Mahsud Waziris, who had at that time been making a series of unusually daring raids into British territory.
In the autumn of 1879, on the renewal of the Afghan War, he accompanied the regiment to the Kuram Valley, and in December of the same year he took part with it in the expedition against the Zaimukhts, a tribe which had been conspicuously troublesome in its plundering and murdering incursions on the line of communications. In the operations which followed he unfortunately lost his life, having, on the 14th December, fallen mortally wounded, shot through the head in the assault of Zawa, the Zaimukht stronghold. He died of his wound on the following day, in camp at Chinarak, whence his remains were afterwards removed to Kohat, and there interred.
Lieutenant Renny’s grave is located in Kohat Cemetery, the inscription reads:
“In memory of Lieut R. O’D Renny, adjutant, 4th Punjab Infantry who died at Chinarak on 15th Dec 1879 from the effects of a wound received the previous day while gallantly leading his men at the forcing of the “Zawa Pass”, deeply regretted by his brother Officers who have erected this stone in his memory”.
Condition GVF, minor edge bruise or better. A rare medal, being one of 74 Officers killed during the Afghan War of 1878-80 (72 were also wounded).