Andaman Islands expedition

Campbell Mellis Douglas, David Bell, James Cooper, Thomas Murphy and William Griffiths risked their lives in manning a boat and proceeding through dangerous surf to rescue some of their comrades who had been sent to the island in order to locate the commander and seven of the crew from the ship Assam Valley who were feared murdered by "cannibalistic islanders"; the Onge tribesmen.

Upon arrival, the party was attacked by native Onge people and retreat to their boats under covering fire and then flee back to their waiting ship.

Eventually, a boat from the Assam Valley, guided and oared by Campbell Mellis Douglas, David Bell, James Cooper, Thomas Murphy and William Griffiths, performed a rescue of the stranded soldiers.

For the very gallant and daring manner in which, on the 7th of May, 1867, they risked their lives in manning a boat and proceeding through a dangerous surf to the rescue of some of their comrades, who formed part of an expedition which had been sent to the Island of Little Andaman, by order of the Chief Commissioner of British Burmah, with the view of ascertaining the fate of the Commander and seven of the crew of the ship " Assam Valley," who had landed there, and were supposed to have been murdered by the natives.

"Regiment, and the four Privates referred" to, gallantly manning the second gig, made their way through the surf almost to the shore, but finding their boat was half filled with water, they retired.

He stood in the bows of the boat, and worked her in an intrepid and seamanlike manner, cool to a degree, as if what he was then doing was an ordinary act of every-day life.

The four Privates behaved in an equally cool and collected manner, rowing through the roughest surf when the slightest hesitation or want of pluck on the part of any one of them would have been attended by the gravest results.