Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Captain C. A. Bignell, 4th Rajputs, Indian Army, attached 24th Punjabis, who died in Turkey following his capture at the fall of Kut al Amara

1914-15 Star (Capt. C. A. Bignell. 13/Rajputs); British War and Victory Medals (Capt. C. A. Bignell) extremely fine (3) £300-350

Claude Arthur Bignell was born on 10 February 1886, and educated at Dulwich College and Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He was gazetted 2nd Lieutenant in the Indian Army in 1905, being posted in the following year to the 4th Rajputs and promoted to Lieutenant in 1907. In 1910 he was appointed an Assistant Instructor at the Musketry School, Satara, and two years later became Quartermaster of his regiment. When war broke out in 1914, he was promoted Captain and saw early service in the German East African campaign (mentioned in despatches).

In August 1915 he was attached to the 24th Punjabis, on service in Mesopotamia, but fell sick before the battle of Ctesiphon in November 1915. He was never fit for duty during the subsequent siege of Kut and died on 21 November 1916, as a prisoner at Yozgad. He is buried in the Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery, Iraq.