Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A fine Second Afghan War C.B. group of three awarded to Colonel Charles Ball-Acton, 51st King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry

The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, C.B. (Military) Companion’s breast badge, 18 carat gold and enamels, hallmarked London 1879, with swivel-ring bar suspension but lacking buckle; India General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, Pegu (Ensign Charles Acton, 51st Foot); Afghanistan 1878-80, 1 clasp, Ali Musjid (Col. C. Ball-Acton, 51st Regt.) together with companion miniature medals, the C.B. in gold, the I.G.S. with contact marks, otherwise very fine or better (6)
£3000-3500

Charles Ball-Acton was appointed Ensign in the 51st Light Infantry on 12 December 1851. He served with the 51st in Burmah from February 1853 to the end of the war, and was present with Captain Irby’s Detachment of four Companies with Brigadier-General Cheape’s Force during the whole of the successful operations in the Monabew district, ending in the assault and capture, on the 19th March 1853, of the stronghold of the Burmese chief Dyattoon (Medal with Clasp for Pegu). Promoted to Lieutenant in June 1854, he became Captain in January 1858, Major in June 1865, Lieutenant-Colonel in December 1874, and Colonel in December 1879.

Colonel Ball-Acton served with the 51st Regiment throughout both campaigns in Afghanistan, commanding it throughout the second. The following record of the regiment’s services during the war is taken from Shadbolt’s history of the campaign:

On the 21st Nov., 1878, the 51st K.O.L.I., as a unit of the 4th Brigade, 1st Division, Peshawar
Valley F.F., advanced into the Khyber Pass, and the same day was engaged in the front attack on
Ali Musjid. Marching from Jamrud, whither it had recently made its way from Subathu, the regiment,
under the command of Colonel Madden, came within range of the enemy's guns about 1.30 p.m., and
two hours later went into action, six companies occupying various advanced positions on the surrounding
heights, and remaining engaged till darkness closed in. The casualties of the regiment during the day
were, one man killed and two wounded. At 7 a.m. the following morning, three companies, under Lt.-
Colonel Ball Acton, conformably with orders received the previous night, crossed the river to support
the projected assault of the 3rd Brigade on a ridge to the enemy's right, and made their way to where
the 81st Regt. was awaiting the order to attack. It was then discovered that the fort had been abandoned in the night, and Lt.-Colonel Acton's companies shortly afterwards entered it. In the meantime
two companies of the regiment under Lieuts. Seppings and Bennett, took possession of the enemy's camp
by the river, capturing some twenty prisoners, two guns, and a quantity of ammunition.

The regiment remained at Ali Musjid on the further advance of the main body of the Division.
From the 24th to the 29th Nov. there was constant firing into the camp at night by the Afridis, considerable numbers of whom assembled on the adjacent ridges. On the night of the 25th Nov. a daring
attempt was made by some two or three hundred of these tribesmen to rush a small picquet, consisting
of one sergeant and fifteen rank and file, under Lieut. Johnson, placed on a hill to the left of the Khyber
stream. The attack was gallantly repulsed, the enemy being very roughly handled. Of the picquet,
Sergt. Binge was severely, and four men were slightly, wounded. In consequence of the unsettled state
of the tribes, the regiment was constantly on duty, for some time getting only one night's rest out of four
or five.

On the 19th Dec., 1878, three companies under Lt.-Colonel Acton left Ali Musjid on the first
expedition into the Bazar Valley, and during the succeeding fortnight were engaged with the rest of
General Maude's force in destroying the villages and towers of the hostile Zaka Khel. While leading
the column during its retirement from the Valley, on the 22nd Dec., the companies were engaged in some
sharp skirmishing with the enemy on the surrounding heights. In the second expedition into the Bazar
Valley, at the latter end of January, 1879, the regiment was again represented, 200 men under Major
Burnaby marching from Ali Musjid on the 25th of that month, and after being engaged in the various
operations of the expeditionary force, returning on the 4th Feb. In the meantime shots continued to be
fired at night into the camp at Ali Musjid, severely wounding, on the 19th Dec., two sentries.

On the 8th March, 1879, the 51st K.O.L.I. was transferred to the 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, and on
the 17th idem marched towards Jalalabad, where it arrived on the 24th. Three companies under Lt.-
Col. Acton took part, en route, in an expedition sent out from Basawal to Maidanak on the night of the
19th to punish a section of the Shinwarl tribe who had attacked a Survey party under Capt. Leach, R.E.;
and on the 1st April a company under Captain Kenneth accompanied the ill-fated expedition into the
Lughman Valley in which the greater part of a squadron of the 10th Hussars was swept away in the
Kabul river and drowned.

After being encamped a month at Jalalabad, the regiment advanced to Safed Sang, where it arrived
on the 27th April, and remained till after the conclusion of peace. On the 8th May it formed part of
the guard of honour which received H.H. Yakub Khan.
Commencing its return march towards India on the 5th June, 1879, the 51st L.I., after recrossing
the frontier, made its way to Cherat. The excessive fatigue and hardship endured on the march resulted
in many casualties, no less than thirty-five deaths occurring in the month of June, and nine more in July.

In his report on the services of officers of the 1st Division Peshawar Valley F.F., the Lieut.-General
commanding referred to the 51st as “a regiment excellent in its discipline, and excellent in the soldier-
like spirit it has shown throughout.”

On the renewal of hostilities in the autumn of 1879 the 51st K.O.L.I. was again ordered up for
active service, and as a unit of Brigadier-General Arbuthnot's Brigade of Major-General Bright's Division,
marched to Jalalabad, where it arrived on the 23rd Oct., 1879. Four companies of the regiment escorted the ex-Amir Yakub Khan from that city to Basawal,
starting on the 4th and returning on the 8th Dec., 1879.

In the middle of December the regiment advanced to Safed Sang. On the 17th of that month, in
response to a request for reinforcements from Brigadier-General C. Gough, who was then at Jagdalak,
three companies under Lt.-Col. Ball Acton marched for Pezwan. Finding, on arrival, that Col. Norman,
commanding at that post, was also en route to open communications with the advanced brigade, and had
bivouacked five miles farther on the road, Col. Acton detached twenty-five men to the Pezwan Kotal,
and the following morning continued his advance. After marching four miles, he came upon the enemy
assembled in considerable force, and turning up a nullah to their right, drove them from the position
they had taken up. Communications were then opened with Col. Norman's force, and subsequently with
that of General Gough, after which the Pezwan party returned. On the 28th one company of the
regiment quitted Pezwan for Jagdalak, and was replaced by another company. The following day a
mixed force under Col. Acton, including two companies of the 51st, also marched for Jagdalak, and
when within sight of its destination again came into contact with and dispersed a large body of the
enemy. In this encounter one man of the regiment was wounded.

In the middle of January, 1880, Head-quarters of the regiment marched from Safed Sang to Pezwan,
where they were rejoined by one of the companies from Jagdalak, and shortly afterwards received a
welcome addition in the shape of a draft of 215 men who had recently arrived from England. During
this month the regiment was placed, by a redistribution, in the 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, Kabul F.F.,
and on that force being broken up in March, became a unit of the Gandamak moveable column.

On the 22nd March Lieut. Thurlow was shot by a band of robbers while riding with his brother
officer, Lieut. Reid, between Jagdalak and the Kotal. For the gallantry he displayed on this occasion
Lieut. Reid was recommended for the distinction of the Victoria Cross. A few days afterwards a convoy
under the command of Lieut. Pollock, while proceeding to Jagdalak Kotal, was attacked by a large body
of marauders. The party was immediately reinforced by the company under command of Capt. Nugent,
with Lieut. Reid, and the enemy were dispersed with considerable loss, eleven camels which had been
driven off by them being recovered. On the 9th April the companies at Jagdalak rejoined Headquarters.

In the second week in April the regiment took part with the moveable column in the expedition
into the Hissarak Valley, and was engaged in several sharp skirmishes with the enemy. On the night of
the 12th Sergeant McCarthy, a gallant and popular soldier, was shot while turning out his picquet; and
in the course of the various operations which were conducted, six men of the regiment were wounded.
Shortly after the return of the expeditionary force the regiment was moved up to Jagdalak.

On the 31st May, 1880, the 51st K.O.L.l. marched with the moveable column to Safed Sang, en route for the Lughman Valley, and for several days took part in carrying out the retributive measures
with which that district was visited. On the 11th June part of the rear-guard, commanded by Major
Burnaby, while recrossing the Kabul river, was hotly fired on, Major Burnaby receiving a contusion of
the face by a spent bullet. The hard work and exposure to which the column was subjected were
excessive, and during the return march to Safed Sang many men fell out from the ranks from exhaustion.
On the 4th July Headquarters and four companies assembled at Pezwan, another company arriving next
day after a slight skirmish en route.

The last expedition in which the regiment took part was one led by Col. Ball Acton against the
Ghilzai villages of Nargusai, Arab Khel, and Jokan, which were destroyed in the first week in July as
punishment for various raids committed by the tribes on convoys, &c. On the 9th Aug., 1880, the 51st K.O.L.I. commenced its return march to India, and after arriving
at Peshawar on the 23rd idem, proceeded to Lawrencepur, and eventually to Bareilly. The casualties of the regiment during the second campaign were, two officers and men killed,
fourteen wounded, and 151 invalided, of whom twenty-two died.

Colonel Ball-Acton was several times mentioned in despatches, made a Companion of the Bath and awarded the Medal with Ali Musjid Clasp. For related family awards see Lots 408, 410 and 411.