Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The India General Service 1854-95 Medal awarded to Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel L. Pleydell Bouverie, 78th Highlanders, scion of the Earls of Radnor, who served with distinction in the Persia Expedition and Indian Mutiny

India General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, Persia (Capt. L. P. Bouverie, 78th Highlanders), edge bruising and polished, better than good fine £1500-2000

Lawrence Pleydell Bouverie was born in August 1817, the third child of the Rev. Frederick Pleydell Bouverie and Elizabeth Sullivan - Frederick was the fourth son of Jacob Pleydell Bouverie, 2nd Earl of Radnor.

Young Lawrence was appointed an Ensign by purchase in the 2nd West India Regiment in September 1841, and advanced to Lieutenant without purchase in December of the following year. Transferring to the 78th Highlanders in May 1843, he was embarked for India, joining his regiment at Karachi at the year’s end.

Having then served as Adjutant from October 1850 to May 1853, and purchased his Captaincy, Pleydell Bouverie returned home to take up appointment as Brigade Major at Aldershot, and it was in a similar capacity that he served in the Persia Expedition in 1857, being attached to the 1st Brigade, 2nd Division. Serving with distinction in the actions of Kooshab and Mohamrah, he was given the Brevet of Major (Medal & clasp).

Returning to normal regimental employ with the 78th Highlanders in India, he was quickly back on active service during the Mutiny, in which he was present at the actions of Futtehpore (13 July), Aoung (15 July), Pandu Naddi, Cawnpore (17 July), Oonao. Bashiratganj (both actions), Boorbia-ki-Chauki, and Bithoor, and as a Brigade Major in several other engagements leading to, and ending in the relief of Lucknow and the subsequent defence - he was with Outram’s force in the Alam Bagh in September-December 1857, which period witnessed the repulse of numerous attacks and led to the final capture of Lucknow (Medal & 2 clasps).

Pleydell Bouverie was given the Brevet of Lieutenant-Colonel and mentioned in despatches for the disposition of his troops and ‘the vigilance with which they guarded their extended position’ at the Alum Bagh (London Gazettes 17 February 1858 refers), and again, in glowing terms, in Outram’s despatch dated at Calcutta on 25 May 1858 (London Gazette 5 October 1858 refers):

‘I would also like to submit for His Excellency’s most favourable consideration, the merits and claims of Captains Bouverie, Her Majesty’s 78th Regiment, and Spurgin, 1st Madras Fusiliers, who, as Majors of Brigade, rendered valuable assistance to Sir Henry Havelock in our advance to Lucknow, and to myself during the time we were locked up in that city. Their subsequent valuable services while under my command at Alum Bagh have already been acknowledged in my despatch. But the zeal, gallantry and intelligence with which they had previously served the State in the advance to, and during our stay at Lucknow, I had left to be described by General Havelock, who I know intended to render full justice to those deserving officers.’

Following his retirement, Pleydell Bouverie was for many years an officer of the 1st Cheshire Engineer Volunteers. He died in Surbiton, Surrey, in March 1887; sold with a file of research, including an extensive typed biography covering the recipient’s life until the Indian Mutiny.