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Auction: 22133 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 76

India General Service 1895-1908, 2 clasps, Punjab Frontier 1897-98, Tirah 1897-98 (Capt. H. A. H. Thompson, 2d. Bn. 1st Gurkha Rifles.), very fine

Harry Arthur Hale Thompson was born on 25 April 1866 in Agra, India. Following attendance at the Royal Military College Sandhurst, he was commissioned into the East Surrey Regiment on 5 February 1887. He was appointed to the Bengal Staff Corps, on probation, on 31 July 1888 and served with the 1st Battalion, 2nd (Prince of Wales's Own) Gurkha (Rifle) Regiment (The Sirmoor Rifles) as a Wing Officer from 1889-93. This included service with the Manipur Expedition 1891 (Medal & clasp). On 8 August 1893, he transferred to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Gurkha (Rifle) Regiment as a Wing Officer and Quarter Master but serving as a temporarily Officiating Wing Officer with the 2nd Battalion, 5th Gurkha (Rifle) Regiment between 1893-97.

He accompanied the 2nd Battalion, 1st Gurkha (Rifle) Regiment in the Mohmand Expedition 1897 and its subsequent operations in the Tirah with the 1st Brigade in 1897, with actions at the Sampagha and Arhanga passes and operations in the Bazaar Valley (Medal & 2 clasps). Promoted Captain in 1898, he is shown in The Indian Army List of 1900 as a Wing Officer and Station Staff Officer (SSO) Dharmsala (home station of the 1st Gurkha (Rifle) Regiment). He was appointed a Double Company Commander on 10 November1900. Between 1902-05, he served as Commandant, Naga Hills Military Police Battalion. Promoted Major on 5 February 1905, he was appointed Second-in-Command of the 1st Battalion in 1909. However, during the Delhi Durbar 1911, he was acting Commander of the 2nd Battalion, at which the Battalion provided the King Emperor's Guard on 10th December and the King Emperor's Guard for the Reception of Volunteer and Indian Officers on 13 December (Medal).

Promoted Lieutenant-Colonel on 5 February 1913, he was placed on the Retired List the following day. However, with the outbreak of the Great War, he commanded the 13th (Reserve) Battalion, The Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment), vacating command on 14 February 1916. He died at Eastbourne on 8 February 1940.


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Sold for
£260

Starting price
£180