War Medals

INDIAN MUTINY MEDAL 1857-58, 53RD. REGIMENT, DANGEROUSLY WOUNDED AT KUDJWA NOVEMBER 1857

No bar, officially impressed naming - Wm. EYLES, 53rd. Regt. (Shropshire) : (WILLIAM EYLES - Born at Portsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire around 1821, a labourer by trade when he attested for the 80th. Regiment on 18 August 1843. He joined the Regiment in India and subsequently served in the Pegu Campaign between March and June 1853. On 31 January 1854 whilst still in India he transferred into the 53rd. Regiment and was serving with that Regiment at the outbreak of the Indian Mutiny. He was present with the column which included a detachment of the 53rd. Regiment and Peel's Naval Brigade in October 1857. They were escorting a force of artillery to Cawnpore when a large force of mutineers were discovered and. Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Powell of the 53rd. Regiment, commanding the column organised a force to attack them. The two forces clashed at Kudjwa, and it was during this action that Lieutenant- Colonel Powell, was killed and command passed to Captain William Peel, Royal Navy. The action became known as the Battle of Kudjwa and it was there that the recipient is recorded as DANGEROUSLY WOUNDED. He recovered from his wounds and later transferred into the 81st.Regiment in order to remain in India, because the 53rd. Regiment was then returning to England. However it is recorded that on 12 February 1864, whilst on board the 'Queen Of The South', en-route to England, he died from 'Disease of the heart', and was buried at sea. He was 43 years of age at the date of his death. There is no other man of this name recorded as serving with the Regiment at this time.) Sold with verification, copy London Gazette entry, copy Casualty Roll entry and other related research. NEF - £595