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Auction: 21001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals (conducted behind closed doors)
Lot: 5

Army of India 1799-1826, 1 clasp, Bhurtpoor (Lieut G. Chichester, 59th Foot), short hyphen reverse, officially impressed naming, edge bruising, contact marks, suspension re-affixed, very fine

Provenance: J. B. Haywood, June 1975

George Chichester was the eldest son of John Chichester and Agnes Chichester (nee Hamilton) and christened on 5 August 1791 at Arlington, Devon. He purchased a commission as an Ensign with the 59th Regiment on 18 September 1817 and was promoted Lieutenant on 7 March 1822. During his service with the 59th, they were stationed first in Ceylon before moving to India in 1818 to take part in the Third Anglo-Maratha War.

With the deposing of the British-backed ruler of the Jat Kingdom, Bulwant Singh, an Army to retake the Fortress of Bhurtpore was assembled. This Army included the 59th Regiment which earned the battle honour 'Bharatpore' for their work in helping to carry the breach after the fortress was undermined by British Engineers. Chichester was wounded during the fighting. However, the breach was carried. Promoted Captain of Infantry on 12 November 1825 he was also placed upon the Army Half-Pay List. Transferred to the 53rd Regiment on 2 January 1828, he appears in the 1861 Census staying at Burton Constable Hall in Yorkshire and is described as 'Major Unattached'. A decade later in 1871 he again appears in a census living at Great Malvern. In the family home at Arlington Court, now owned by the National Trust, is kept a miniature portrait of him in uniform as a Major; sold together with copied research including an Army Pay List extract and census information.

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Sold for
£3,200

Starting price
£1400