Orders, Decorations and Medals

India General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, Persia (Capt. J. H. Worgan. Artillery) very fine £1200-1500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The collection of Medals formed by the Late Clive Nowell.

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John H. Worgan attended Addiscombe in 1839-40 and was appointed 2nd Lieutenant in the Bombay Artillery on 11 December 1840, becoming Lieutenant in August 1842 and Captain in August 1852

Captain Worgan served in Persia under Sir James Outram and was present at the bombardment of Muhammerah, where he successfully commanded the Mortar Raft, about three miles from the main Army, and under fire of the forts for nearly two hours without support

On the raft Captain John Worgan, Bombay Artillery, put two eight inch and two five and a half inch mortars, and on the following night he was towed by the steamship Comet (Surveying River Steamer) to a sheltered spot behind an island where he moored ...

At daybreak on 26 March, Worgan’s mortars began lobbing shells into Mohamra (a bombardment of 102 shells played on enemy forts for the next five hours). At the same time the Navy sailed up and began pounding from the front. Once more, however, the infantry bayonets were to be deprived of blood for under this unexpected artillery attack the Persian Army withdrew at the double, leaving tents, guns and equipment all in wild confusion. Worgan was recommended for the Victoria Cross but this was not approved.” (Red with Two Blue Stripes refers

Worgan was specially mentioned in despatches by Sir James Outram “as evincing much coolness and great gallantry” for which he gained the Brevet rank of Major. He was subsequently Agent for Gun Carriages from August 1858 to March 1863, was appointed Deputy Inspector-General of Ordnance in December 1863, and Inspector-General of Ordnance in July 1873. He retired in December 1878 with the honorary rank of Lieutenant-General.