Guy Henry Gaston Meckler was born on 9 September 1866 at Rathdown, Ireland and was commissioned into the Dorsetshire Regiment on 14 September 1887. Transferred to the Indian Army, he served with the 30th Regiment (5th Burma Battalion) of Madras Infantry in Burma (Medal & clasp), having been advanced Lieutenant in February 1888. Made Captain in September 1898, Mockler gained a 1st Class Russian qualification in April 1893, he would once again serve with his unit in the China Campaign, being present at the Relief of Pekin (Medal & clasp).
It was whilst in China that Mockler played a significant roll in the Provisional Government of Tientsin. Seven of the members of the Eight-Nation Alliance (Russia, the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, France, the United States, and Italy) established the Tianjin Provisional Government on 30 July 1900. The Government was first known as the Viceroy's Government and was renamed the Tianjin Provisional Government on 14 August 1900. Tianjin, Chinghai, Ningho and some other regions, with 8 subordinate executive organizations came under their control and it existed until 1902. It was whilst in Tientsin that he was rewarded with a Brevet Majority in November 1900 and further "mentioned" (London Gazette 14 May 1901, refers): "...has done excellent service in the Civil Administration of Tientsin, as Chief of Police."
Major (then Captain) Mockler took the settlement very strongly in hand. He organized a police force, and presently law-breakers found they got a very short shrift. For a few weeks the Chief of Police was in daily danger of his life. One attempt at assassination nearly succeeded, but in the course of a month or two, while the rest of Northern China was still in an uproar, Tien-tsin became a model town.
Recovered from the attempt on his life, Mockler added the rare accolade of the Provisional Government Medal in Gold to add to his laurels https://asiamedals.info/threads/tianjin-provisional-government-medals.26647/#post-358765It was whilst in China that Mockler played a significant roll in the Provisional Government of Tientsin. Seven of the members of the Eight-Nation Alliance (Russia, the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, France, the United States, and Italy) established the Tianjin Provisional Government on 30 July 1900. The Government was first known as the Viceroy's Government and was renamed the Tianjin Provisional Government on 14 August 1900. Tianjin, Chinghai, Ningho and some other regions, with 8 subordinate executive organizations came under their control and it existed until 1902. It was whilst in Tientsin that he was rewarded with a Brevet Majority in November 1900 and further "mentioned" (London Gazette 14 May 1901, refers): "...has done excellent service in the Civil Administration of Tientsin, as Chief of Police."
Major (then Captain) Mockler took the settlement very strongly in hand. He organized a police force, and presently law-breakers found they got a very short shrift. For a few weeks the Chief of Police was in daily danger of his life. One attempt at assassination nearly succeeded, but in the course of a month or two, while the rest of Northern China was still in an uproar, Tien-tsin became a model town.
Returned to India, he went up to Simla and was attached to the Intelligence Branch, before raising the Indian Porter Corps (Coolie Corps). Mockler would take them on campaign to Somaliland (Medal & clasp).
With the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War in February 1904, the need for those with language skills to join the party of Military Observers and Attaches sent to oversee the conflict. No surprise, Mockler was posted to the Russian side and together with Captain Herbert Campbell Holman, the War Office published The Russo-Japanese War for them in 1908. He was awarded with the Russo-Japanese War bronze medal and the 2nd class order of St. Anne.
Having also attended the 1911 Durbar with the 33rd Punjabis, he was to lead the 46th Punjabis during the Great War. The Regiment initially served on the North-West Frontier and took part in the Mohmand Blockade of 1915-16. They also served in the operations against the Mahsuds in Waziristan in 1917 and went to Egypt by War's end. His Medals were issued by the Government of India.
Having married Edith Jane Ringrose at Torquay in 1894, he had issue of a daughter and three sons. Mockler died at Newton Abbot, Devon on 7 December 1948.
Gold, enamel.
Size 48 mm.
Note that Meckler had a privately-comissioned oversized 2nd class Saint Anna order with swords.
Medal bar.
India General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, Burma 1889-92 (Lieut. G. H. G. Mockler 30/5th Burma Bn. M.I.); China 1900, 1 clasp, Relief of Pekin (Major G. H. G. Mockler 30 (5th. Burma Bn.) M.I.); Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 clasp, Somaliland 1902-04 (Major G. H. G. Mockler 90th Punjabis.); 1914-15 Star (Lt. Col. G. H. G. Mockler, 46/Punjabis.); British War and Victory Medals (Lt. Col. G. H. G. Mockler.); Delhi Durbar 1911 (Major G. H. G. Mockler 33rd Punjabis), privately engraved naming; Russia, Imperial, Russo-Japanese War Medal 1904-05, bronze (Major G. H. G. Mockler. British Attache), privately engraved naming; Royal Humane Society, Small Bronze Medal (Successful) (Capt. G. H. G. Mockler Sep: 25: 1900) /"On the 25th September 1900, a Chinese girl jumped from a boat into the Peiho River, at Tientsin, China. There was a strong current, and the night dark. Mockler, at great risk, jumped in, caught the girl, and swam with her to the bank."/.