Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

India General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, Persia (Gunner W. Shannahan. Artillery) very fine £500-600

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to the Bombay Artillery.

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Provenance: Bought Baldwin 1961.

William Shannahan was born in 1829 at Kanturk, County Cork, and enlisted at Cork on 1 July 1850, for 12 years service. He embarked for India aboard the Equestrian on 31 August 1850, and arrived there on 17 January 1851. Posted to the Horse Artillery, he served with 4th Troop, Bombay Horse Artillery, in Persia. He transferred to the non-effective list as Gunner, acting Laboratory Man, on 13 October 1858, and was appointed as Laboratory Man on 22 October 1859. He re-engaged for 12 years on 19 May 1860, and transferred to the Royal Artillery on 10 May 1861. Tried and reduced by Court Martial to Gunner on 11 October 1862, he transferred to 21st Brigade R.A. in August 1863 and to the Depot Brigade in February 1865. He was then transferred to 12th Brigade in August 1865 and finally invalided, having pleurisy and being worn out, on 6 April 1869. Sold with copied discharge papers.

4th Troop Bombay Horse Artillery arrived in Persia as part of the reinforcements in early 1857. Its deployment is not known but as the Troop Commander, Captain G. P. Sealy, performed the duty of O.C. Artillery, Kharak Island, it is likely that the Troop was stationed there.