Field Marshal Sir George Pollock, 1st Baronet GCB GCSI (4 June 1786 – 6 October 1872) was a British Indian Army officer.

He then set about an unauthorised but ultimately successful mission to rescue the British hostages who had been left behind in Kabul prior to the retreat.

[4] Promoted to lieutenant on 19 April 1804, he saw action at the Battle of Deeg in November 1804 and at the Siege of Bhurtpore in Spring 1805 during the Second Anglo-Maratha War.

[4] After taking sick-leave in England, Pollock commanded the British artillery at the Battle of Prome in November 1824 and at Bagan in February 1826 during the First Anglo-Burmese War.

The initial campaign was a success but at the end of 1841, faced with ever-increasing hostility from the Afghans, the military and political leaders decided to withdraw the 5,000 British and Indian troops and 12,000 camp followers, wives and children from Kabul and to return to India.

The retreat, which took place in January 1842, was a disaster and eventually led to a massacre because of inefficient leadership, the cold and the ferocious tribes.

[4] Pollock then set about an unauthorised mission to rescue the British hostages who had been left behind in Kabul prior to the retreat.

[14] After returning to England in 1846, Pollock benefited from an annuity of £1,000 per annum from the East India Company[15] and lived at Clapham Common.