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Auction: 9022 - Orders, Decorations, Medals & Militaria
Lot: 58

x An India and Tibet Pair to Captain G.H. Sawyer, 34th Sikh Pioneers, Killed in Action by a Sniper at Neuve Chapelle, 27.10.1914 India General Service 1895-1902, V.R., three clasps, Punjab Frontier 1897-98, Samana 1897, Tirah 1897-98 (Lieut. G.H. Sawyer 30th Pjb Infy.), with partial official corrections; Tibet 1903-04, no clasp (Captn. G.H. Sawyer 23d Sikh Pioneers), generally very fine or better (2) Estimate £ 600-800 Captain George Henry Sawyer, born 1875, the only son of Colonel G.W. Sawyer; commissioned Second Lieutenant Indian Army, 1895; served with the 30th Punjab Infantry on the North West Frontier, including the engagement near Shubkudder (9.8.1897) and the operations on the Samana and in the Kurram Valley, August-September 1897; Lieutenant 14.11.1897, he took part in the operations in the Bazar Valley, 25-30.12.1897 and the Tirah Campaign, 1897-98; transferred 23rd Sikh Pioneers, 1899; served with the regiment on the expedition to Tibet, and is mentioned in Fleming´´s Bayonets to Lhasa as accompanying Colonel Younghusband and another officer without escort on an unannounced trip into the Tibetan held village of Guru (garrisoned by 600 men) in an attempt to talk to the Lhasa General in situe; Captain 14.8.1904; married the renowned medic Doctor Ethel Vaughn, 1907, and as a consequence of his marriage changed his name to ´´Vaughan-Sawyer´´; transferred 83rd Wallajahbad Light Infantry, 10.2.1911; he subsequently retired before re-engaging for service with the outbreak of the Great War; he was sent out immediately to the Western Front as an Interpreter with the 34th Sikh Pioneers, and was killed in action by a sniper, at Neuve Chapelle, 27.10.1914, ´´The 26th passed fairly quietly, but the Germans were reported to be massing in front of our centre. On the 27th, at 7a.m., the 59th were attacked heavily and No. 3 Company, under Capt. Martin, was losing men fast. In attempting to reinforce him, Capt. Murray was severely wounded. A vigorous fire fight followed, and after an hour´´s hard tussle the enemy was beaten back to his trenches all along the line, Capt. Vaughan-Sawyer, the interpreter of the 34th, falling a victim to a sniper during the attack.´´ (The India Corps in France, refers). It is believed that his wife did not claim his Great War Medals. Provenance: Glendining September 1974

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