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Auction: 8016 - Orders, Decorations, Medals & Militaria
Lot: 340

The Rare Four Clasp Army of India Medal to Lieutenant-General T.P. Smith, Bengal Native Infantry, Who Commanded His Regiment During the First Burma War Army of India 1799-1826, short hyphen reverse die type, four clasps, Battle of Deig, Capture of Deig, Nepaul, Ava (Lt. Coll. T.P. Smith, 49th N.I.), officially impressed, nearly extremely fine Estimate £ 8,000-10,000 Lieutenant-General Thomas Patterson Smith (1783-1852), arrived in India as a Cadet, 1799; posted as Lieutenant 1st Bengal European Regiment, 1801; served during the Second Maharatta War at the Battle and Capture of Deig, before transferring to the newly-raised 25th Native Infantry; he served as a Captain of the 2nd Battalion, as part of the 4th Division under General Marley and Sir George Wood, during the first two campaigns of the Nepal War; Officer Commanding 2nd Battalion during Ochterlony´´s victorious campaign in 1816, when Smith´´s Battalion served with the 3rd Brigade, Centre Coloumn, and was present at Chirriaghati and Muckwampore; he took part in the operations against the Pindarries, 1817-18, and shared in the Deccan Prize Money; Major, Commandant 1st Fatehgarh Infantry Levy, 1821; Smith relinquished that appointment the following year, before transferring to the 49th Native Infantry (late 1st Battalion 25th Native Infantry), in 1824; as Lieutenant Colonel he commanded the regiment during the 1st Burma War; he was mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 1.10.1825), for leading a reconnaissance of several companies across the Jeyah River, during the operations in the Arakan; subsequent postings included with the 2nd European Regiment, the 8th Native Infantry, and with the 18th Native Infantry, from 1837; he was on the rolls of the 17th Native Infantry serving as regimental Colonel during the Second Sikh War, with the Army of Reserve at Jagraon; Major-General 1838; Lieutenant-General 1851; he died in Paris the following year. Approximately 23 four clasp Army of India Medals issued to European recipients; the only other medal with this combination of clasps was that awarded to Sir George Pollock. Provenance: Glendining, July 1957 North Collection 1969 Ritchie Collection 2004

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£9,000