Orders, Decorations and Medals

An early India campaign group of three awarded to Major-General G. H. Swinley, Bengal Artillery

Army of India 1799-1826, 1 clasp, Ava (2d Lieut. G. H. Swinley, 6th Cpy. 3rd Battn. Arty.), short-hyphen reverse, old re-engraved naming and tailor’s copy clasp; Sutlej 1845-46, for Moodkee 1845, 2 clasps, Ferozeshuhur, Sobraon (Captn. G. H. Swinley, 3d Troop, 1st Brigade Horse Arty.), old re-engraved naming and tailor’s copy clasps; Punjab 1848-49, no clasp (Brevet Major G. H. Swinley, 3d Troop, 1st Brigade Horse Arty.), old re-engraved naming, the whole contained in an old fitted leather display case, by W. Dresden of Kensington, with spaces for related dress miniature medals and his son’s Afghanistan Medal 1878-80, contact marks and edge bruising, otherwise generally very fine (3) £500-600

George Henry Swinley was born in Henley, Oxfordshire in March 1806 and was appointed a 2nd Lieutenant in the Bengal Artillery in June 1823, after attending Addiscombe as a Cadet. Actively engaged in the First Burma War 1824-26, when he was present in operations in Cachar, latterly in the 6th Company, 3rd Battalion Foot Artillery (Medal & clasp), he was advanced to Lieutenant in September 1827 and returned home on extended furlough in the following year.

Back in India by 1832, he transferred to the 4th Troop, 1st Brigade Horse Artillery in February 1836 and served as Adjutant and Quarter-Master of the 3rd Brigade 1838-40, and was next actively engaged in the First Sikh War, when he commanded in the rank of Captain 3rd Troop, 1st Brigade at Moodkee, Ferozeshuhur and Sobraon (Medal & 2 clasps); and he was similarly employed in the Punjab 1848-49, when he onetime commanded the artillery in Brigadier Wheeler’s force and was present in operations in Rangar Nagal and Kalalwala (Medal).

Swinley was advanced to Major in July 1853, while serving as Assistant Adjutant-General of Artillery, and transferred to the 1st Company, 2nd Battalion in April 1854. Returning to the U.K. on furlough in February 1856, he was not engaged in the Indian Mutiny, but subsequently gained appointment as Colonel and Commandant of Artillery in February 1861. Shortly thereafter appointed Inspector-General of Artillery, Southern Division, at Lucknow, in the rank of Brigadier-General, he was advanced to Major-General in the same post in December 1865 and died at Simla in May 1867.

The General married Sarah Jane, daughter of Warren Hastings Leslie Firth, in March 1841, and his second son, Silas Adair, followed him into the Indian Army, serving in the 3rd Bengal Cavalry and 11th Bengal Lancers, until his untimely death in Afghanistan in May 1879 (see Lot following for his miniature dress medals).