Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Colonel Boyle Torriano Stafford, Bengal Army

China 1857-60, no clasp (Lieut. B. T. Stafford, 22nd P.N. Infy.) engraved naming; India General Service 1854-95, 2 clasps, Looshai, Jowaki 1877-8 (Major B. T. Stafford, 22nd Nat. Infy.); Afghanistan 1878-80, no clasp (Col. B. T. Stafford, 22nd Ben. N.I.) minor contact marks, very fine (3) £1000-1400

Boyle Torriano Stafford was born in Semur, Sarthe, France on 4 August 1828, the son of Major-General John Stafford and his wife, Frances Maria Stafford. He received a classical and mathematical education at the Ecole Superieure at Le Mans, France. He was nominated as a Cadet for the East India Company’s Bengal Infantry by E.I.C. Director Major-General James Caulfield., Bengal Army and his papers passed the Military Committee at East India House, London on 15 November 1848. He was commissioned an Ensign on 6 January 1849 and was posted to the 65th Bengal Native Infantry in March 1849 and thence to the 18th Bengal N.I. in July 1849. Promoted to Lieutenant in August 1853, he was Acting Adjutant to the Right Wing of the 18th Bengal N.I. and Station Officer at Shahjehanpore, August 1855-February 1856. After commanding a section of cavalry at Meerut, October-December 1858, he became Officiating Adjutant of the Meerut Levy in January 1859; Officiating 2 i/c of the Agra Levy in April 1859; 2 i/c of the unit, June-November 1859, and 2 i/c of the 11th (later 22nd) Punjab Native Infantry in November 1859. As such he served as second-in-command to his brother William Joseph Fitzmaurice Stafford in the war in China, where he served in operations in the vicinity of Shanghai. Promoted to Captain in April 1860 and appointed Acting Commandant of the 22nd Bengal N.I., January-October 1863. Promoted to Major in December 1868, he served in Looshai expedition, 1871-72, where he commanded a detachment of his regiment at the capture of the village of Khotel, 23 December 1871. He was appointed Officiating Commandant of the 22nd Punjab N.I., December 1874-June 1876 and July-October 1877.

Stafford was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel in December 1874 and Colonel in December 1886. Retiring from the service on 1 April 1890, he became Colonel of the 22nd Punjabis in 1904 and died at St. Leonards, Sussex on 21 March 1913.

With copied research.