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Auction: 26066 - Historical Documents, Autographs and Ephemera
Lot: 1318

(x) India
1842 (14 Jan.) soldier's concessionary rate entire letter from Secunderabad to England by Corporal Samuel Spurling (b1817, son of Jonathan and Frances Spurling of Diss, Norfolk) of the First Madras European Lancers. He writes of his affection and nostalgia for his homeland: "Dear happy England. There is not a country like her in the world, none but those who have left her can know her worth". He tallies up his regiment's casualties and, after some somwhat confusing arithmetic, concludes that only 41 men remain of the 100 who originally joined up. He fears he will never see his father again, as he doesn't think he can return to England, and acknowledges that his relationship with him had been rather turbulent in the past; enclosure bears India red oval h.s. (SD6 die II, Giles) and black mark "2" for postage rate; 3pp, 8vo.

Subject to 5% tax on Hammer Price in addition to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium.

Estimate
£300 to £400

Starting price
£260