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Auction: 8016 - Orders, Decorations, Medals & Militaria
Lot: 60

A Scarce ´Burma 1824 Casualty´ Army of India Medal to Armourer´s Mate W. Galway, Royal Navy, Wounded Whilst Serving in H.M.S. Liffey´s Boats in the Attack on the Stockades Near Kemmindine Army of India 1793-1826, short hyphen reverse, one clasp, Ava (W. Galway, Ars. Mate. Liffey), light scratches, otherwise good very fine Estimate £ 1,400-1,600 Walter Galway served as Armourer´´s Mate in H.M.S. Liffey (Commodore Grant) during the campaign in Burma 1824-26, Military History of the Royal Navy, 1816-1856, by Clowes gives more detail on the Naval expedition that Galway and the Liffey were part of in May 1824, ´´at that time the numerous waterways were practically the only roads existing in Burmah [sic]; and the chief waterway in the country to be attacked was the Irawadi, of which the Rangoon river forms one of the mouths. Rangoon itself is about twenty-eight miles from the sea, the stream opposite it having a maximum width of about 700 yards. The town was fortified by means of palisades and embankments; and near the river gate was a battery of fourteen guns. Just before the arrival of the expedition the governor had thrown the British residents into prison. On May 11th, the Larne, followed by the Liffey, led the way up the river; and, at about 2pm, the squadron anchored abreast of the battery, which fired a few ill-directed shot at the Liffey, but was silenced in a few minutes. While preparations were being made to land troops, the battery again opened, and was again easily reduced to silence. The troops were then landed, and the town, which had been deserted, was occupied without the slightest resistance. Marshall believes that the British flag was first hoisted in Rangoon by Lieutenant Samuel Thornton, of the Liffey´´; five days later the Liffey was in action again, this time near Kemmindine where there were a series of stockades to be taken, and it was during the first attack on these that Galway was wounded (London Gazette 1824, p2053), ´´on May 16th, a party of troops, accompanied by the boats of the Liffey, under Lieutenant James Wilkinson, attacked and carried three stockaded posts higher up the river, near Kemmendale [sic], with a loss to the Navy of Wilkinson and nine men wounded, and to the army of two killed and nine wounded.´´ (Ibid).

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