Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Army of India 1799-1826, 2 clasps, Asseerghur, Nagpore (Lieut. Boyce Combe, 2nd N.I.) short hyphen reverse, officially impressed naming, claw tightened, minor nicks and bruises, very fine £3000-3500

Ex Hamilton-Smith 1927, Dalrymple White 1946, Lovell 1977, and Brian Ritchie Collection, D.N.W. March 2005.

Only 48 Asseerghur clasps to Europeans, this combination being unique.

Boyce Combe was the eldest son of Captain Boyce Tree Combe, late H.M’s 55th, of Gray’s Inn, and Anne Gunthorpe, and was baptised aged 5 months at Andover, Hampshire, on 12 August 1785. He entered the Madras Army circa 1800, and was promoted Lieutenant in the 2nd Madras Native Infantry on 20 July 1801. During the Second Mahratta War, he was present with 2/2nd Madras N.I. in Stevenson’s force at the Capture of Asseerghur which surrendered on 21 October 1803, after only an hour’s bombardment.

Combe was promoted Captain on 31 May 1816, and served during the Third Mahratta War with the 1/2nd Madras N.I. which formed a part of one of the three brigades under Brigadier-General Doveton that reinforced Lieutenant-Colonel Hopetoun Scott’s force after the Battle of Seetabuldee and went on to decisively defeat the Bhonsla on 16 December 1817, at Nagpore. Combe married Eliza Margaret, daughter of Thomas Gowan, and died without issue at Cheltenham aged 78 on 5 December 1863.

Ref: Hodson Index (NAM).