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Auction: 24113 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 387

Pair: Private G. Smith, King's Royal Rifle Corps

Afghanistan 1878-80, 2 clasps, Ahmed Khel, Kandahar (60/1295. Pte. G. Smith. 2/60th Foot.); Kabul to Kandahar Star 1880 (60/1295 Private Geo: Smith 2/60 Foot), light contact wear, very fine (2)

George Smith was born in 1855 and later enlisted with the 3/60th (King's Royal Rifle Corps) Regiment of Foot at Chatham on 18 August 1874 when he was 19 years old. He had not served long with his Regiment when he was first disciplined for bad behaviour; Smith was imprisoned twice before the end of the year. The first instance was confinement for a week in early November, while the second was imprisonment lasting nearly the whole of December.

In November 1876 he was posted to the Rifle Depot and in March 1877 was transferred to the 2/60th Foot. Smith and his unit were stationed in Afghanistan at some stage to serve in the Second Afghan War, and participated in the triumphal march through Kandahar in early January 1879. They were also part of General Stewart's famed march from Kabul to relieve the besieged Kandahar in March 1880. While en route, Stewart's force ran into trouble from a heavy Afghan force in the Western hills, who attacked while Stewart was deploying. The 60th Foot were positioned near the north end of the line and faced west during the ensuing Battle of Ahmed Khel, and suffered five casualties during the conflict which took place on 19 April 1880. Stewart's men continued their march and arrived in Kandahar on 31 August, the next day defeating Ayub Khan at the Battle of Kandahar. The 2/60th Foot were in MacGregor's 3rd Brigade during the Battle and sustained only two casualties.

Smith's immediate whereabouts thereafter are unfortunately unknown, but he later appears to have been in Natal with the 2/60th Foot from January until September 1881. At some point he returned home to England, where he was discharged at Winchester on 2 March 1882 and listed his intended place of residence as Maldon; sold together with copied research.

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Sold for
£480

Starting price
£130