Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

India General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, Persia (Serjt. W. Conway. Artillery) contact marks, nearly 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 Spink 1957.

William Conway was born in 1824 in the Parish of St Mary, Newington, London. He enlisted in London on 22 July 1848, for 12 years. He embarked for India aboard the Maria Soames on 31 August 1848, and arrived there on 26 January 1849. He was posted to 1st Battalion, Bombay Artillery, but transferred to the 2nd Battalion and promoted to Drill Corporal in December 1853. He was further promoted to Sergeant in April 1856 and served in the Persian campaign with 2nd Company, 2nd Battalion, Bombay Artillery. He was appointed Brigade Sergeant in March 1858, which appointment he held until July 1858 when he reverted to Sergeant. The Medal Roll for the Indian Mutiny shows him as being present at the disarming of the 27th Native Infantry at Kolapore in August 1857, and the subsequent execution of the mutineers, but not entitled to the medal. He volunteered for the British Army and transferred as Sergeant on 28 December 1861. In January 1863 he was tried by Court Martial and acquitted, but he was tried by Court Martial again in May 1863 and reduced to Gunner. Promoted once again to Bombardier on 27 February 1867 and discharged to Pension from ‘C’ Battery 18th Brigade R.A. on 18 February 1868, at his own request after 21 years service. Sold with copied discharge papers.

2nd Company, 2nd Battalion, Bombay Artillery, served in Persia equipped as a Mortar Battery and arrived early in 1857 as part of the reinforcements. It was part of the force moved by sea to the mouth of the Shatt-al-Arab river. After preparations, which included placing the Battery upon a raft, it was towed upstream to the Persian position at Mohammerah on 26 March 1857. There, without support for two hours, and then supported by ships of the Indian Marine, the battery bombarded the enemy forts at 1,000 yards range. This fire so demoralised the enemy that steamers carrying troops were able to run the gauntlet and land their forces upstream. The commanding officer, Captain John Worgan, was especially mentioned in Sir James Outram’s despatch as ‘evincing much coolness and great gallantry’.