A pair of early Indian campaign medals to a soldier of the 1...

Estimate

£1,100 - £1,400

A pair of early Indian campaign medals to a soldier of the 13th Foot (later Somerset Light Infantry), consisting of: Ghuznee Medal 1839 and Defence of Jellalabad Medal
(Mural Crown first type), both named to: Pt W Greatbatch 13 or PALI.
The 13th Regiment later became the Somerset Light Infantry, otherwise known as Prince Albert's Own or Prince Alberts Light Infantry (PALI). The Regiment had
been posted to India in 1822, re-equipped as light infantry, where it remained for 23 years during which time it played an active role in the First Burma War (1824-26) as
well as the storming of the fortress of Ghuznee and the three-month defence of Jellalabad during the First Afghan War (1839-42). In recognition of this latter service
Queen Victoria renamed the regiment after her husband Prince Albert. William Barnes Greatbatch was born in 1818 in Jersey, CI. He moved to Bath where
he worked as an agricultural labourer before enlisted in the 13th Regiment during the latter 1830s. Following his service in India and Afghanistan, he was still serving as a
private soldier in the 13th in 1851, where he is shown based at Winchester Barracks.
The 1861 Census record shows him as a ‘Chelsea Pensioner’ aged 43 employed in
bath as a Staff Sergeant of the 2nd Somerset Militia. He lived in Bath with his wife. Elizabeth and four daughters (Elizabeth, Mary, Sarah and Charlotte) for the rest of
his life, dying there on 9 January 1873 aged 55, and is interred in the Locksbrook
Cemetary.
The medals are both fitted with replacement 44 mm German Silver suspenders (for
the 44mm India ribbon). Both medals have heavy contact wear and the naming on the Jellalabad Medal is partially obscured by wear. Hence only Good Fine (G F)
condition. Nevertheless, an attractive pair representing some very heavy fighting, and later worn with pride by their recipient during his regular army and later lengthy
militia service.