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Auction: 9022 - Orders, Decorations, Medals & Militaria
Lot: 45

x A Good Indian Cavalry Group of Four to Lieutenant-Colonel A.C. Batten, 2nd Punjab Cavalry, Who Was Mentioned in Despatches for Action at Shahjui, When His Regiment Famously Charged and Scattered Sahib Khan´s Massed Forces, 24.10.1879; He Later Served as a Brigade Major for the Relief of Chitral, 1895, When He was Made Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel and Once Again Mentioned in Despatches India General Service 1854-95, one clasp, Jowaki 1877-8 (Sub. Lieut. A.C. Batten. 2nd Punjab Cavalry.); Afghanistan 1878-80, two clasps, Ahmed Khel, Kandahar (Sub-Lt. A.C. Batten. 2nd Punj: Cav:); Kabul to Kandahar Star (Lieut. A.C. Batten Beng. S.C.); India General Service 1895-1902, V.R., one clasp, Relief of Chitral 1895 (Major A.C. Batten 2d Punjab Cavy.), last partially officially renamed, light contact marks overall, very fine (4) Estimate £ 800-1,200 Lieutenant-Colonel Alan Coddington Batten, born 1856; commissioned Sub-Lieutenant 34th Foot, 1875; transferred Indian Army November 1877, and appointed 2nd Punjab Cavalry later the same month; served with the regiment for the Jowaki-Afridi Expedition, 1877-78; served with the regiment during the Second Afghanistan War 1878-80, including at Shahjui, 24.10.1879, a savage melee during which the leader of the Afghan force, Sahib Jan, was killed and his men scattered (Mentioned in Colonel Kennedy´´s Despatch) and at Urzu, ´´On the 23rd of April [1880], the Regiment formed part of a force, under Brigadier-General Palliser, that was detached to attack the enemy, which had been reconnoitred on the previous day by Captain Campbell with a part of the Regiment, and which were reported to be posted in considerable strength near the village of Urzu, about five miles to the south-east of the camp. In the early part of the day, the Regiment, with the 1st Punjab Cavalry, with which it was brigaded, took up a position about 800 yards in front of the village of Shalez, and was somewhat exposed to the fire of the enemy´´s sharpshooters. A dismounted squadron, under the direction of Lieutenants Younghusband and Batten, kept down the fire sufficiently to enable the brigade to hold the position which it had taken´´ (History of The Second Panjab Cavalry, refers); after this action Batten was attached to the 9th Lancers for six months, rejoining his unit in December, ´´Lieutenant Batten had accompanied the Regiment [9th Lancers] during its march to Kandahar with the force under Sir. F. Roberts, and was present with it at the battle of Mazra. The officer commanding the 9th Lancers expressed himself as indebted to Lieutenant Batten for his assistance in giving information of the country in the neighbourhood of Kandahar´´ (Ibid); Captain 1886; Major 1893; Deputy Assistant Adjutant General at Bundelcund, 1895, served as Brigade Major D.A.A.G. and Q.M.G., 2nd Brigade as part of the force under Lieutenant-General Sir Robert Low, G.C.B. for the Relief of Chitral; present at the storming of Malakand Pass (Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel; Mentioned in Despatches); died at Dera Ismail Khan, 8.10.1900.

Sold for
£2,400