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Auction: 23003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 35

Afghanistan 1878-80, no clasp (Lt. H. H. Ozzard. 1st Goorkha.), very fine

Hudson Henry Ozzard served with the 14th Bengal Native Infantry and was attached to the 1st Goorkha Regiment for the initial phase of the Second Afghan War in 1878-79. He had previously served alongside the 1st Goorkhas in the Perak Expedition, whilst serving with the 1st Battalion 3rd Foot (East Kent) (The Buffs) before transferring to the Bengal Staff Corps.

After his service in Afghanistan, he re-joined his unit, with whom he continued to serve until about 1889, when he undertook the duties of a Cantonment Magistrate for the next decade before retirement in 1899.

Ozzard was born on 17 March 1857 and granted a commission in the 3rd Foot as a Sub-Lieutenant on 13 June 1874. He was posted to the 1st Battalion, which had sailed to India back in 1866, and served with it throughout the Perak Expedition 1875-76 (Medal & clasp). On the departure of the 1st Battalion back to England in 1878, he transferred to the Bengal Staff Corps and was posted, initially on probation, to the 14th Bengal Native Infantry, which had been raised in 1846 and had taken part in the Defence and capture of Lucknow during the Indian Mutiny, as a Wing Officer.

On the outbreak of the Second Afghan War, Ozzard was attached to the 1st Goorkha Regiment, which formed part of the Multan Field Force. Unlike the 3rd, 4th and 5th Goorkha Regiments, 1st Goorkhas initial service was described in the Regimental History as being more irksome than honourable, consisting in the supply of fatigue parties for the unloading and stacking of stores for the Force and innumerable Guards. In mid-December 1878, Ozzard commanded two Companies of the Regiment as escort to the 13/8th Royal Artillery and later commanded one of the Companies as escort to General Primrose, commanding the 1st Division, up to Kandahar. He rejoined the Regiment in February 1879 before the Force returned to India. The unit had also taken part in the capture of Ali Masjid, but as it was suffering from a bout of sickness, it was ordered to return to Peshawar and took no further part in subsequent operations (Medal without clasp).

Returning to his unit, he served as a Wing Officer from May 1879, to include command of a detachment of the Regiment to guard Simla in the same year, and went on to hold the appointments of Regimental Quartermaster and Adjutant and Station Staff Officer at Jhelum. In 1889, he was appointed as an officiating Cantonment Magistrate for Fyzabad and later served as a Cantonment Magistrate for Lucknow, Roorkee and Benares, by which time he had been struck-off the strength of the 14th. He was promoted to Major on 13 June 1894 and retired in this rank, 4 April 1899. In the Supplement to the Indian Army List 1924, he is still being shown as Retired on Full or Retired Pay or on a Pension.


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Sold for
£350

Starting price
£140