orders, decorations, campaign medals and militaria - Spink

208
Army of India 1799-1826, short hyphen reverse die
type, one clasp, Bhurtpoor (Serjt. W. Hallam, 14th.
Foot.), officially impressed, Royal Mint, minor edge
bruise, nearly extremely fine
£800-1,000
Sergeant William Hallam, born Nottingham, 1788;
enlisted in the 14th (Prince of Wales’ Own) Regiment of
Foot, April 1809; promoted Corporal, January 1810;
Sergeant, January 1814; served with the Regiment in India,
October 1818 to June 1831; discharged April 1832, after 29
years and 132 days with the Colours.
PROVENANCE:
Sotheby, July 1974
orders, deCoratioNs, CampaigN medaLs aNd miLitaria
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209
Army of India 1799-1826, short hyphen reverse die
type, two clasps, Allighur, Laswarree (T. Emery,
29th. Lt. Dragns.), officially impressed, Royal Mint,
minor edge bruise, nearly extremely fine
£2,500-3,000
Private Thomas Emery, born Haywood, Staffordshire,
1782; enlisted in the 29th Light Dragoons, September 1802;
served with the Regiment in India during the Second
Mahratta War, 1803-05, as part of General Lake’s force, and
took part in the attack on the fortress of Alligurh, 4.9.1803,
and in the decisive Battle of Laswarree, 1.11.1803, when
Lake defeated the Scindhia of Gwalior’s army: ‘The trumpet
of the 29th Dragoons sounded the charge, and was answered
forthwith by the roar of every Mahratta gun; but the
troopers, galloping through a tempest of grape-shot and a
general volley of musketry, rode straight into the line of the
guns, scattering the gunners, then crashed into the first line
of infantry and broke it up, then pressed on against the
second line of infantry and swept it away to its right, and
finally wheeling to the left, fell again on the Mahratta horse
and routed them completely’ (A History of the British Army,
Vol. V, Sir J.W. Fortescue, refers). Casualties for the 29th
Light Dragoons were 62 of all ranks, including their
Commanding Officer who was killed, and 112 horses.
Discharged, May 1808; Emery re-enlisted in the 6th (Royal
Warwickshire) Regiment of Foot, and served with the
Regiment in South Africa; finally discharged, May 1825, after
18 years and 243 days with the Colours.
Note: The 29th Light Dragoons were re-numbered as the
25th Light Dragoons, July 1804, whilst Emery was still
serving with them out in India.
Approximately 14 Army of India Medals awarded to the 29th
Light Dragoons, all with Laswarree clasp.
Approximately 8 Army of India Medals with this clasp
combination.
PROVENANCE:
Christie, July 1987