China 1857-60, 3 clasps, Canton 1857, Taku Forts 1860, Pekin 1860 (Steward Wm. Evans Medical Staff Corps.) officially impressed naming, contact marks, otherwise very fine £140-£180

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Jack Webb Collection of Medals and Militaria.

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Note: Would appear to be entitled to the China medal without clasps.

William Evans was born in Nottingham and enlisted into the 98th Foot at Brecon on 28 January 1843, aged 18. Promoted to Corporal in December 1846, to Sergeant in March 1848, he took part in the Punjab campaign of 1849 (Medal) and was promoted to Colour-Sergeant in May 1852. The 98th returned to England from India in 1855 and Evans transferred to the Medical Staff Corps as a Wardmaster on 1 October 1855, being promoted to Steward on the 23rd of the same month. He received injuries to his right leg in the Transport Transit when she was wrecked on a reef in the Straits of Banca, 10 June 1857 (discharge papers note ‘scar on right shin’). He embarked at Chatham for China in April 1857, and was in China before November 1857, but there is no indication that he was present in the operations at Canton the following month (roll indicates medal only). He was Court Martialled on 29 December 1857, ‘for making away with stores’ and reduced to Private. He transferred to the 59th Foot on 10 January 1858, and was in prison from 15 May to 8 August, 1859, for being ‘Drunk on Guard’. He was discharged from the Army, Free, on 27 September 1859. His discharge papers note, ‘In possession of Medal for the Punjab Campaign, 1849, and China Medal for 1857.’ Sold with copied discharge papers,