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Auction: 11010 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals & Militaria
Lot: 164

x New Zealand 1845-66, reverse dated 1864-1866 (Ensign & Lieut. T.H. Pearson, 43rd Lt. Inftry.), light pitting to obverse, therefore very fine Estimate £ 600-800 Captain Thomas Horner Pearson (1843-1937), the son of Captain T.A. Pearson, 43rd Light Infantry and the grandson of Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Pearson, C.B., K.C.H.; T.H. Pearson was commissioned Ensign 43rd Light Infantry, June 1863; he dictated the following account of his recollections of his military career to his cousin shortly before his death, as he himself was blind, ´I joined the Depot companies of the 43rd at Chatham in August 1863. In November came news that the Regiment was going to New Zealand from India instead of coming home, and the Depot companies were ordered to embark at once. I was left behind, but applied to be sent out and embarked in a fine ship (sail and auxiliary steam) called Sea King, with a battery of artillery and drafts. Being partly steam she made a quick voyage, and got to Auckland in 77 days, though we were nearly lost in a tremendous gale off the Cape. For two days and nights we were battened down and had great difficulty in getting anything to eat or drink. At times the water was knee-deep in the cuddy. From Auckland I went by coach to Drury where the headquarters of the 43rd were, most of the Regiment being on detachment. In February 1864 I was on deatchment at Rahue Paketu under Captain Mure. From there we marched to Otahu, about eight miles out of Auckland - a large standing camp. We next proceeded by ship to Tauranga. The general and headquarters staff arrived there too. The Maoris were discovered making a ´pah´ across the road three or four miles from Tauranga. Blue jackets and 40pr guns were landed. I was leftbehind in the attack on the pah, as my company was the only one commanded by a subaltern, Hatchell. The assault took place on 29th April at 4pm - too late in the day. We could see and hear the fighting. The sailors and soldiers charged the entrance of the pah with a tremendous cheer. After that we did not know what happened, but mounted colonials came galloping back and said there had been awful slaughter and that Colonel Booth was killed. An order came to my company to advance. I was ordered to remain behind. By this time it was nightfall and the main force had retired. Everyone was disputing who gave the order to retire. The next morning we found the pah empty and all the dead laid out. The dead were taken to Tauranga and buried in two graves. In 1866 the Regiment left New Zealand in two sailing ships, Silver Eagle and Maori, and took 90 days to get home, landing at Portsmouth in July. We remained in England, Ireland and the Channel Islands till 1872 when the Regiment proceeded to Cannanore. I was left with the Depot at Cork, but rejoined the Regiment later at Bellary´; Pearson transferred to the 106th Light Infantry, 1877, and retired 1881. Provenance: Sotheby November 1977

Sold for
£1,100