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Auction: 26002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 54

(x) The Afghanistan Medal awarded to Private D. Welsh, 9th Queen's Royal Lancers, who may well have charged with his Regiment at Kila Khazi in December 1879

Afghanistan 1878-80, 2 clasps, Kabul, Kanahar (1629. Pte. E. Welsh. 9th Lancers.), good very fine

E. Welsh was serving with the 9th Lancers in Afghanistan and was present with them at Kabul when several Squadrons took part in the legendary Charge at Kila Kazi. Two Squadrons of the 9th Lancers led by General Massy and a small force of the Bengal Lancers as well as F/A Battery of the Royal Horse Artillery. They came into action at Kila Kazi on 11 December 1879 against a mass of Afghan warriors estimated at 9,000-10,000 men.

The horse artillery moved to engage them but found that the enemy moved far faster than expected over the rough ground and they were soon under threat of being overwhelmed. Roberts, seeing this, ordered a charge of his available cavalry to cover the guns as they withdrew, caused a little over 200 men to be launched full tilt into the teeth of the Afghan army.

The following action was well described by Trumpeter Charles Duly who took part in the charge, stating:

'All that limp feeling passed away however, when I was ordered to sound charge. I came to myself and close behind Captain McKenzie; we charged a good distance when the General's trumpeter sounded the "Recall". We rallied back and formed up again and we had another charge at them it was only to try to get the guns away. Three of the guns retired about two thousand yards back leaving one gun behind. It sounded the recall again, we rallied back to them and the even numbers with carbines dismounted and opened fire at them, but it did not do much good as there was something like ten thousand to about two hundred all told. We made another dash to try and save the guns, but it was no go. This made the third time we had charged the enemy. We had to retire leaving the guns behind us.'

The action saw Revered J. W. Adams win the Victoria Cross for rescuing fallen men of the 9th Lancers. The total losses came to 29 men and officers killed or wounded from the Regiment, after being forced to abandon the guns they withdrew to the Sherpur Cantonment.

Welsh must have survived the campaign as appears upon the British Army Index in September 1881 at Umballa, he was later pensioned on 10 March 1886.

Subject to 5% tax on Hammer Price in addition to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium.

Estimate
£300 to £500

Starting price
£240