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Auction: 14002 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals and Militaria
Lot: 47

Wenlock Olympic Society Merit Medal, 58mm, silver (Hallmarks for Birmingham 1860), obverse with central shield inscribed 'WEN' within wreath, surrounded by garter, reverse engraved 'To Lieut. Coll. Sir Herbt. Benjn. Edwardes, K.C.B. from the Members of the Wenlock Olympian Class, Augt. 22nd. 1860', with top riband bar, in case of issue, nearly extremely fine, together with a Commemorative Honourable East India Company Edwardes Medal , 46mm, silver-gilt, obverse featuring a youthful Queen Victoria facing left, reverse inscribed 'From the East India Company to Lieutt. & Brevt. Major H:B: Edwardes. C:B. for his Services in the Punjab A.D. MDCCCXLVIII.' within wreath surrounded by allegorical figures, extremely fine, contained in glazed lunettes with outer silver band with ring suspension, lunettes and band replaced, in Martin, Cheltenham, fitted case (2)

Major-General Sir Herbert Benjamin Edwardes, K.C.B., the 'Hero of Multan' was universally recognized as one of the most remarkable men that the Indian Army had ever produced. One of Sir Henry Lawrence's 'bright young men' in the Punjab, he shot to fame prior to the Second Sikh War when aged only 27, when, following the murder of British officers at Multan and rebellion led by Diwan Mulraj, the Governor of Multan, he collected a force of tribesmen and attacked Mulraj and the rebels, defeating them at Kineyri and Sadusain, maintaining the war for months until General Whish arrived and took Multan. Edwardes was promoted Brevet-Major, created a Companion of the Order of the Bath, and received the a special Gold Medal from the Court of Directors of the Honourable East India Company. He returned to England to a hero's welcome, both in London and his home county of Shropshire, received the thanks of both Houses of Parliament, and was given an honorary degree by Oxford University.

The Edwardes Medal was presented by the Honourable East India Company to Major Edwardes in gold, and was the last instance of the presentation of a special medal to an individual for war service. At meeting of the Court of Directors of the H.E.I.C., 13.9.1848, it was 'Resolved unanimously, that this Court do present to Major Edwardes a Gold Medal, in testimony of their high approbation of the important services rendered by him in raising and organising a large Force in a foreign territory under circumstances of the greatest difficulty; in wresting, within a very brief period, and extensive tract of country from the power of the rebels; in skilfully combining his forces with those of an ally; and in signally defeating the troops of the enemy in two pitched battles; thus evincing the possession, in the flower of his youth, of all those qualities which form and ennoble the character of the British Officer.' Edwardes was presented with his gold medal by the Chairman of the Court of Directors in February 1851; after his death in 1865 specimens of the medal were issued in silver-gilt and bronze as a memorial to him; the silver-gilt specimens are usually found contained in glazed lunettes.

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Sold for
£1,700