Orders, Decorations and Medals

The C.B. group of four awarded to Captain Walter J. Stopford, Inspector-General of Military Prisons, late 52nd Light Infantry, a Gentleman Usher to Queen Victoria and King Edward VII

The Most Honourable Order of The Bath, C.B. (Civil) Companion’s breast badge, silver-gilt, hallmarked London 1895, complete with ribbon buckle; Jubilee 1887, silver, with bar ‘1897’; Coronation 1902, silver; Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 1 clasp, Delhi (Lieut. & Adjt. W. J. Stopford, 52nd L.I.) mounted as worn, contact marks, nearly very fine or better (4) £2000-2500

Walter James Stopford entered the 52nd Light Infantry as an Ensign in 1851, becoming Lieutenant in March 1853, Adjutant in May 1854, and Captain in April 1858. As Adjutant of the regiment he served in the Indian Mutiny campaign, and was present at the engagements at Trimmoo Ghat, and the Ravee River, and at the siege of Delhi (Medal and Clasp).

Captain Stopford commanded the detachment of the 52nd on board the Eastern Monarch, which was totally destroyed by fire while bringing home invalided troops from India in 1859. The following account of the burning of the ship and of the gallant behaviour of the officers and men is taken from the Appendix to the Historical Record of the 52nd:

‘Soon after midnight of the 2nd of June, 1859, the Eastern Monarch, with invalided troops from Kurrachee, dropped anchor off Spithead, after a voyage of 101 days, bound for Gravesend, having been obliged to put in at the former port in consequence of a scarcity of provisions and the strong east winds which then prevailed in the Channel. The detachment of the 52nd Light Infantry on board consisted of Captain W. J. Stopford, Lieut. the Hon. G. H. Windsor Clive, 4 corporals, 2 buglers, about 30 privates, 4 women, and 7 children. Up to this time no casualty had occurred, and the voyage hitherto had been a most prosperous one, so far as the 52nd was concerned, though other detachments had been considerably reduced in numbers. On the morning of the 3rd of June, 1859, at about half-past two o’clock, everybody being then in bed, a violent explosion took place in the after-part of the ship, causing considerable alarm, especially as it was immediately followed by dense volumes of smoke from the lower hold, and it soon became evident that the ship was on fire. The flames shortly after broke out in the centre of the cuddy, immediately between the cabins appropriated to the officers, who in some cases experienced much difficulty in extricating themselves. Having however succeeded in doing so, they hastened on deck, and there witnessed a scene hard to describe. Women and children hurried from their beds, and only partially clothed, and many frightfully burnt, were pressing to the gangways, both of which were crowded and blocked up. No time was lost in restoring order. The commanding officer ordered the men to fall in, the boats were manned and the process of disembarking the officers’ wives and children immediately commenced, followed by the soldiers’ families and sick in hospital, all of whom were safely landed at Portsmouth.

‘In the meanwhile the fire spread rapidly from stern to bow - so much so that it was impossible to work the engines with any effect; and in a little more than an hour after the first alarm the flames were to be seen in the forehold, over which the remainder of the troops were waiting in their turn for an opportunity of disembarking. Two lighters nobly came to the rescue, and dropped anchor immediately under the bows of the burning ship. Into these many succeeded in lowering themselves from the bowsprit, and the boats from the men-of-war lying in the neighbourhood, and one boat among the foremost from the 1st battalion of the Rifle Brigade, flocked round, all anxious to render their assistance to those now on board. Owing to the promptitude of their aid, the perfect discipline which prevailed, and the admirable behaviour of all the troops concerned, the disembarkation was attended with unlooked-for success. Upwards of six deaths occurred from the effects of the explosion, and these, with one exception, were amongst the women and children who were berthed immediately above the spot where it took place.

The conduct of the officers and men elicited the praise of his Royal Highness the Commander-in-Chief, and afterwards the gracious approbation of her Majesty of their behaviour on this trying occasion, both of which were expressed in separate General Orders.

It is needless, it is hoped, to add that both officers and men of the 52nd sustained the high character of their regiment. The former, in company with Captain Molesworth, 27th Regiment, and Captain Munnings, 24th Regiment, were the last to leave the burning ship. Almost immediately after their departure, the masts of the ill-fated vessel fell in with a crash, and the remnant of the Eastern Monarch became a mass of flame, which lasted for some days after. Nothing was saved from the wreck; every individual on board lost all that he had. The soldiers and their families, however, obtained considerable relief by the liberality of the ladies and other inhabitants of Portsmouth, who immediately raised a subscription in their behalf. This act of generosity is gratefully acknowledged, and will ever be remembered by that portion of the 52nd who formed a part of the sufferers by the burning of the Eastern Monarch.’