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Auction: 24002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 151

Three: Private H. Bennett, 17th Lancers (Duke of Cambridge's Own), later Staff Sergeant in the Commissary Department

Crimea 1854-56, 1 clasp, Sebastopol (Pte. Henry Bennett. 17th Lans.), contemporary engraved naming; Indian Mutiny 1857-59, no clasp (Corpl. Hy. Bennett. 17th Lancers); Turkish Crimea 1855, British issue, unnamed, contact marks, nearly very fine (3)

Henry Bennett enlisted for the 17th Lancers in London on 11 March 1851, aged 18. He saw service in the Crimea at Sebastopol before being sent to the General Depot at Scutari on 12 October 1854 and to Abydos Hospital on 28 November. He was invalided to England aboard the City of Norwich in March 1855 and sent to Chichester ‘on furlo’ from the Brighton Depot in May 1855. He rejoined the regiment in Ireland on its return from the Crimea in June 1856, and embarked for India from Cork aboard the S.S. Great Britain on 8 October 1857. Bennett was promoted to Corporal in February 1858. Whilst on field service in India he served at Rajghur and Mungrowlee with Captain William Gordon, and was promoted to Sergeant in March 1860. He re-engaged for a further term of 12 years' service at Secunderbad in April 1863, and was reduced to Private by a Regimental Court-martial on 4 January 1864. He volunteered to the 18th Hussars on 30 November 1864, regimental No. 1247, and joined the regiment, 21 January 1865. He transferred, as ‘Effective Supernumerary’ in the rank of Staff Sergeant, to the Commissariat Department in January 1866.

Bennett committed suicide at Bangalore, India, on 11 December 1866, aged 34. He was stated to have been ‘under temporary insanity’, and was buried in St Andrew’s (Scotch) Cemetery at Bangalore on the following day.

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Sold for
£580

Starting price
£380