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Auction: 8029 - Soldiers' Rates of the BE - Gerald Sattin Collection
Lot: 100

Aden 1840 (12 Feb.) entire letter "Over Land Via Falmouth From 2nd. Coprl. Chas. James Engineer Corps" at "Cape Aden Arabia" to England, countersigned by the Commanding Officer and showing, on reverse, two different London transit c.d.s. (23.3); the face panel with some splitting at folds and repair work, nevertheless of fair appearance and very rare, being one of the earliest known soldier´s letters from Aden with fascinating first hand comment on the campaign to take Aden including "The Bedouin Arabs would not let us land. We were joined by H.S. Ships of War "Volage" & "Cruiser" and the Honbl. Compy. Ships of War "Coote" and "Mahie" and bombarded the town for about 4 1/2 hours firing in the mean time 873 rounds of 32lb. shot and a quantity of 8 1/2 inch shells. When the firing ceased from the shipping, the European Infantry and foot artillery landed and stormed the town and took it at bayonet point after one hours fighting". Photo Estimate £ 700-800 Note: Aden was ceded to Great Britain in 1839 after it´´s capture by a force under Commander S.B. Haines. 2nd Corporal James was court martialled from the Engineers in 1838 and moved to the infantry. He was re-instated with the rank into the Bombay Engineer Corps after the fall of Aden provenance: J.L.R. Croft, 1964

Sold for
£800