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Auction: 8010 - Orders, Decorations, Medals & Militaria
Lot: 106

The Rare Umbeyla 1863 ´Crag Piquet´ V.C. Group of Three to Captain H.W. Pitcher, 1st Punjab Infantry, Who Twice Led An Assault on the Formidable Crag Piquet- He Was Wounded On Each Occasion a) Victoria Cross, reverse of suspension bar engraved ´Lt. Hy. Wm. Pitcher Bengal Staff Corps´, reverse of Cross engraved ´Oct: 13. and Nov. 16. 1863.´ [sic] b) Indian Mutiny 1857-58, one clasp, Lucknow (Ensign H,W, Pitcher, 79th. Highlanders) c) India General Service 1854-95, two clasps, Northwest Frontier, Umbeyla (Lieut., H W Pitcher V C 1st. Punjab Infy.), minor official corrections to rank and name on second, otherwise very fine or better, the campaign Medals with contemporary silver top riband buckles, the group housed in a slightly damaged contemporary fitted leather case containing a glazed portrait photograph of the recipient (3) Estimate £ 80,000-100,000 V.C. London Gazette 16.7.1864 Lieutenant Henry William Pitcher, Adjutant, 4th Punjab Infantry, Bengal Staff Corps. ´´Date of Acts of Bravery, October 30th and November 16th, 1863.´´ ´´For the daring and gallant manner in which, in the course of the recent operations against the Frontier Tribes, on the 30th October, 1863, he led a party of his Regiment to re-capture the Crag Piquet, after its garrison had been driven in by the enemy; on which occasion sixty of them were killed in desperate hand to hand fighting. From the nature of the approach to the top of the Crag amongst the large rocks, one or two men only could advance at one time; "and whilst I ascended one path", relates Major Keyes, commanding the 1st Punjab Infantry, "I directed Lieutenant Fosbury, of the late 4th European Regiment, to push up another, at the head of a few men. He led this party with the greatest coolness and intrepidity, and was the first man to gain the top of the Crag, on his side of the attack. Lieutenant Pitcher, equally cool and daring, led a party of men up to the last rock, until he was knocked down and stunned by a large stone thrown from above, within a few yards of him." Lieutenant Pitcher also displayed great gallantry in leading on a party of his Regiment to endeavour to recover the Crag Piquet, when it again fell into the enemy´´s hands, on the 13th of November, as related in the following extract from Major Keyes´´ report of the 16th of that month: "The duty of leading the first charge devolved upon Lieutenant Pitcher, and I beg to bring to the special notice of the Brigadier-General Commanding, the admirable manner in which he performed this important duty. He was by many yards the foremost of his party, and the gallant bearing of this excellent young Officer was the admiration of all spectators. It is impossible to say too much, or to overrate his services on this occasion. Lieutenant Pitcher was severely wounded, and was obliged to be carried back."´´ Captain Henry William Pitcher, V.C. (1840-75), was born in Kumptee, India, the second son of St. Vincent Pitcher, of the 6th Madras Light Cavalry, and was educated at Christ´´s Hospital, and Victoria College, Jersey. He was commissioned Ensign on the 26th July 1857, and set sail for India, arriving in December 1857 during the height of the Great Sepoy Mutiny. He was attached to the Queen´´s Own Cameron Highlanders, under the Command of Sir Colin Campbell G.C.B., to make the journey upcountry to join his own H.E.I.C. Regiment, Coke´´s Rifles, but in fact was to serve with the 79th Highlanders for the remainder of the Mutiny. He saw action throughout the Oude Campaign of 1858-59, first hearing a shot fired in anger at the affair of Secundra on the 5th January 1858; and was present at the siege and capture of Lucknow that March; the affair of Rooya, the action of Allygunge, the capture of Bareilly, the operations at Shahjehanpore and Mohumdee, the storm and capture of Rampore Kussia, the passage of the Gogra, and the operations on the Nepal Frontier. With peace having been restored down on India´´s Plains, and having been promoted Lieutenant on the 18th May 1858, Pitcher was free to join his intended Regiment, the 1st Punjab Infantry. Known as Coke´´s Rifles, this was the first of eight regiments to be raised as Punjab Irregulars. Together with the Guides´´ Infantry and Cavalry they were known as the Punjab Frontier Force, the famous "Piffers". Although originally intended for policing duties rather than fighting, the Piffers quickly became supreme exponents of mountain warfare. Uniquely, Coke´´s Rifles was the only Punjab Regiment not to adopt the khaki uniform introduced by the Guides. Instead, both Officers and men wore an indigo-dyed drill coat, trousers, and pagri. This earned the unit the nickname of ´´Siah post´´ (black coats), and rendered its men notoriously conspicuous against the dun-coloured mountains of the Frontier. Not until 1891 did the Regiment change to the universal khaki. Pitcher was appointed Adjutant of the 3rd Punjab Infantry, and served with the Regiment in the Expedition against the Kabul Khel Waziris during the winter of 1859, to exact retribution for the murder of Captain R. Mecham, Bengal Artillery, serving under the legendary Brigadier-General Neville Chamberlain, C.B., the most wounded officer in British India. As part of the ongoing fighting on the North West Frontier he again saw action, once more under Chamberlain, in the Expedition against the Mahsud Waziris during the spring of 1860, this time as Adjutant of the 4th Punjab Infantry, distinguishing himself in what was considered the fiercest fighting on the North West Frontier since the First Afghan War. The Umbeyla Campaign In the autumn of 1863 Brigadier-General Sir Neville Chamberlain, K.C.B., formed the 5,600 strong Yusafzai Field Force, with the aim of putting an end to the raiding of the Malka Pathans, and to drive them out into the plains beyond the Chamla Valley. The Force comprised the 71st Highlanders, the 101st Royal Bengal Fusiliers, the Corps of Guides, Native Cavalry, Infantry, and Guns, and which included Lieutenant Pitcher as Adjutant of the 1st Punjab Infantry, marched on the 18th October 1863, intending to advance into the Chalma Valley via the Umbeyla Pass, but great difficulty was experienced in getting the elephants of the baggage train through the defile, and after three days the entire expedition came to a stop. The Bunerwal tribe, who inhabited the area, were afraid that the British had come to annex their territory, and rallying support from neighbouring tribes, attacked the Column. Penned in, with little prospect of being able to advance directly into the Chalma Valley, Chamberlain decided to adopt a defensive position and wait for reinforcements, hoping that the passage of time and the discouragement that repeated unsuccessful attacks were likely to produce upon the enemy would weaken their numbers and break up their unnatural alliance. Due to the broken nature of the ground, the key to the British defensive position was a high rock hill commanding all the lower defences. The ascent to this was ´´most precipitous, the path leading to its top narrow and difficult, and where the summit is reached there is but little level ground to stand upon.´´ It was known simply as "The Crag". First Assault on Crag Piquet, 30th October On the morning of the 30th October, 1863, an attack was made by the enemy, upon the advance piquets of the Right Defence, the whole of which was held by the 1st Punjab Infantry and a Company of the Guide Corps under the command of Major C.P. Keyes. Above the main piquets was the Crag. As it was necessary to occupy it, in order to command the lower piquets, Major Keyes placed a small party of 12 men in it, as many as it could hold. About half an hour before daylight on the morning of the 30th, heavy firing commenced on the Crag, and it soon appeared that the piquet was hard pressed by the enemy. Keyes immediately detached all the men he could spare from the lower piquets in support, before he and Lieutenant Pitcher advanced with about 20 picked men to their assistance, but before they could reach the top of the Crag the small party there had been overpowered and driven off the hill. Finding the important position lost, Keyes ordered his men to take cover from the enemy´´s fire beneath the overhanging rocks, about 20 paces from the summit, determined to wait until daylight should enable him to distinguish friend from foe, and for reinforcements to arrive. As the day broke, Keyes observed the 20th Punjab Native Infantry entering the main piquet below, and convinced of the danger of allowing the Crag Piquet to remain for even a short time in the enemy´´s hands, he directed his men to fix bayonets and charge. Due to the nature of the approach to the top of the Crag, the attack had to be made in almost single-file and while Keyes ascended one path, he directed Lieutenant G.V. Fosbury, late 4th European Regiment, and Lieutenant Pitcher to advance up others. Fosbury led his men ´´with the greatest coolness and intrepidity, and was the first man to gain the top of the Crag on his side of the attack.´´ Meanwhile Pitcher, ´´equally cool and daring´´, led his men almost to the summit, until, in the moment of victory, he was wounded by a boulder hurled by the enemy from the top. After ´´a most exciting and hand-to-hand fight´´, the Crag Piquet was recovered, with the enemy driven out at the point of the bayonet, and three standards captured. With the Crag Piquet taken, the remainder of the enemy quickly disappeared down the mountain, leaving behind 54 killed and 7 wounded. In his report of the action, Major Keyes wrote: ´´If the Victoria Cross be the award for coolness and daring courage in the presence of great danger, these two officers [Lieutenants Fosbury and Pitcher] have well earned that distinction. This is the second time within the last few days that it has been my duty to report upon the high soldier-like qualities possessed by Lieutenant H.W. Pitcher, Adjutant 1st Punjab Infantry.´´ Fosbury and Pitcher did both receive the Victoria Cross, the only two given for the Umbeyla Campaign. Second Assault on Crag Piquet, 13th November Following the action on the 30th November, the enemy had retreated, and, apart from some minor skirmishing, there had been little subsequent fighting. The Crag Piquet had been significantly enlarged and strengthened, and was now capable of containing a garrison of 160 men. On the morning of the 13th November, Lieutenant J.P. Davidson, 1st Punjab Infantry, who was commanding the piquet, had 90 men with him, which he did not consider sufficient. Major Keyes immediately sent him up a reinforcement of 30 rifles under a Native Officer, which was all that could be spared, as a serious attack was expected on the Centre and Cliff Piquets. Shortly after this reinforcement had arrived the men of the Crag Piquet rushed down the hill in confusion- this panic was communicated to the camp-followers, who took to flight and increased the confusion. The retreating men had a visible effect upon all, both friend and foe, and Major Keyes immediately ordered an advance to re-assure those that were wavering, and to further check the enemy until reinforcements should arrive. Considering that his presence in the main camp was absolutely necessary to keep the men together, the cry of "Charge" was headed by Lieutenant Pitcher, accompanied by Lieutenant H.R. Young, also of the 1st Punjab Infantry. A small detachment of the Guides that were in charge of the rear defence of the main camp was brought up by Lieutenant W.J. Forlong in support; in spite of the ´´great coolness and daring´´ with which they attempted the assault, they were too weak to regain the Crag Piquet, and had to fall back on the rocks below it. Lieutenant Pitcher was severely wounded in the charge, and it was not until the 101st Fusiliers were brought up into the attack that the Crag Piquet was retaken, with the enemy driven back over the hills. In his report of the action, Major Keyes wrote: ´´I beg to bring to the special notice of the Brigadier-General Commanding the admirable manner in which he [Lieutenant Pitcher] performed this important duty; he was by many yards the foremost of his party, and the gallant bearing of this excellent young officer was the admiration of all spectators. It is impossible to say too much or to over-rate his services on this occasion. Lieutenant Pitcher was severely wounded, and was obliged to be carried back.´´ After a month of costly defensive fighting, Lieutenant-General Sir Huge Rose, G.C.B., K.S.I., Commander-in-Chief in India, sent up from Simla two staff officers, Colonel G. Adey and Major F.S. Roberts, V.C., to assess the situation as it existed on the ground. Fortunately they agreed with Chamberlain that the tribesmen had been severely weakened in the fighting, and at length reinforcements arrived under General Gavrock, to relieve the wounded Chamberlain, who had received the last wound of his military career, whilst personally leading a later assault on Crag Piquet. Originally intended as no more than a ´´three week military promenade´´, the Umbeyla Expedition had lasted three months, and cost nearly a thousand casualties. Lieutenant Pitcher was later promoted Captain, and died of heatstroke at Dara Ghazi Khan, Punjab, on the 5th July 1875, whilst still serving with the 1st Punjab Infantry, a "Piffer" to the last. He was buried at the Garrison Church in Kohat on the North-West Frontier. A Victorian visitor to the church found that the graves there were "all brushed and clean and flowers strewn over nearly every one. No end of sepoys came to the grave of the brave and gallant Captain Pitcher, V.C., and did some act to his honoured memory, or knelt at his grave and breathed a prayer for his soul´´s repose." The major beneficiary of the sale of this property will be Help for Heroes, a new charity formed to help those who have been wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan. Please see www.helpforheroes.org.uk for more information. For the Medals awarded to Air Commodore D. Le G. Pitcher see Lot 111.

Estimate
£80,000 to £100,000