War Medals

INDIA GENERAL SERVICE MEDAL 1854, 1ST. BN. HAMPSHIRE REGIMENT, A CASUALTY AT MOMEIT, BURMA, 14 JANUARY 1889

Bars, 'Burma 1887-89', 'Burma 1889-92', engraved naming in the correct style of running script - (40/1802 Pte. P. HANSEN, 1st. Bn. Hamps. R.) : (PETER HANSEN - Born in Switzerland around 1862, a sailor by trade when he attested at Fort Elson, Gosport on 8 September 1880. Posted to 1st. Hampshire Regiment and initially served at home until 22 July 1884 when the Battalion was deployed to Malta, where it was to remain until 8 January 1886, on which date it left for service in the East Indies. Deployed to Burma from 3 November 1888. On the morning of 14 January 1889 the recipient was with a small force of twenty-four men of the Battalion at Momeit under the command of Lieutenant Walter Nugent, when information was received that the advanced guard of a force of Dacoit bandits was stockaded in a village named Mobon, only some ten miles distant. Nugent immediately decided to attack and leaving eight men under the command of a Serjeant to garrison Momeit, marched out with a Serjeant and fifteen Privates. After marching some ten miles the party reached a village called Mobon where Nugent expected to locate the Dacoits, being unaware that there were two villages of the same name. Believing that he may have been misinformed Nugent decided to continue the march and some two miles further along a narrow path the party, in single file turned a corner to be confronted by a stockade about two hundred yards ahead. Upon seeing the British soldiers approaching the Dacoits began to beat their tom-toms and blow battle horns. Nugent gave the command to 'fix bayonets and advance', but when his small party was about thirty yards from the stockade the Dacoits, numbering an estimated two hundred men, delivered a heavy volley. Eight of the sixteen in the party, including Nugent were hit and forced to retire. Nugent whilst assisting a wounded man was again hit, this time mortally, and one Private had been killed outright. Six other Privates were wounded, including the recipient who, SUFFERED A GUN-SHOT WOUND TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF HIS FACE. The party was successfully brought out of the action by the Serjeant who was subsequently promoted and awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal. The recipient spent ten days in hospital recovering from his wound. but was again in action during the "Tonhon Expedition" between 17 December 1889 and 8 April 1890. He left India on 22 October 1892 and is recorded as being discharged from that date, then having completed in excess of twelve years service. Lieutenant Walter Thomas Henry Nugent is commemorated on the "Burma Wars" plaque situated in the Royal Memorial Chapel, at the RMA. Sandhurst.) : Sold with verification , copy Service Papers and a full account of the action at the Mobon Stockade, which includes details of all casualties. Medal mounted on original ribbon from a silver wearing pin. One small edge bruise not affecting the naming : A medal to a rare casualty NEF - £695