Orders, Decorations and Medals

Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 1 clasp, Delhi (Lieut. Wm. Crozier, 75th Regt.) overall surface marks, otherwise nearly very fine £1600-1800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals to The Gordon Highlanders and Associated Units from the Collection of A.J. Henderson.

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Lieutenant William Crozier was killed in action at Delhi on 18 July 1857.

William Crozier entered the Service on 16 April 1852 as an Ensign in the 4th Foot. On the 30th of the same month he was transferred to the 75th Foot, and having arrived in India in the following October, he joined that regiment at Ambala early in 1853. During the winter of 1853-54 he accompanied the regiment to Peshawar, whence he proceeded with it to Rawal Pindi in October 1855, and to Kasauli early in 1857. On the outbreak of the Mutiny he marched with the regiment to Ambala, and thence onwards toward Delhi. On 2 June he attained the rank of Lieutenant and on the 8th of the same month he was present at the action of Badli-ki-Serai and the seizure of the Ridge at Delhi. Thereafter he took part in the siege of Delhi until the 18th July, on which day he fell in action in repelling an attack, by the mutineers from Jhansi, on the right flank of the British position, near the Subzee Mundee.

Captain and Adjutant Richard Barter in his memoirs mentions Crozier’s death as follows:

‘...poor Crozier, the pet subaltern of the Light Company, was shot straight through the middle of the forehead while skirmishing in the Subzee Mundee’.

‘A day or two before he told me that he knew that he’d be killed, he was privately engaged to a young lady, whose mother after seeming at one time to encourage his addresses to her child now was violently opposed to it, so much so, that one day she was so intemperate as to say to her daughter, “I hope he will be killed before Delhi.” This the daughter imprudently wrote to Crozier and it certainly preyed on his mind for he told me the circumstance adding, “And I am sure her wish will be gratified.” I tried to ridicule him out of such an idea, but it was no use, and strange to say the end was as I have said; poor young fellow his head swelled to an enormous size after his death which was of course instantaneous.’ Sold with full muster details.