Orders, Decorations and Medals

India General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, Pegu (T. W. Aylesbury. Lieutt. “Zenobia”) toned, nearly extremely fine £200-250

Thomas W. Aylesbury was sworn into the H.E.I.Coy. service as a Midshipman on 2 February 1842, rising to Mate five years later. He was promoted to Provisional Lieutenant aboard Sesostris in September 1848, and granted three years absence in Europe almost immediately, his confirmed seniority commencing on 29 January 1849. He served as Second Lieutenant of the Zenobia throughout the Burmese War, being present at the storming of the King’s Wharf Stockade during the capture of Rangoon, and other affairs including the action with Myat Toon and the affair at Lamena, and was slightly wounded. From October 1853, to the following June, Lieutenant Aylesbury commanded some gunboats, manned from the Zenobia, stationed on the river frontier for the suppression of Dacoits and preservation of order, and received personally the thanks of Lord Dalhousie, as well as of the Supreme Government, and Colonel Phayre, the Commissioner of Pegu. Under orders from the Government of India in June 1855, he also officiated for twelve months as Superintendent of the Irrawaddy steam flotilla. In July 1856, Lord Dalhousie appointed Lieutenant Aylesbury Master-Attendant and Marine Magistrate for Bassein and Dalhousie, as a reward for his distinguished services.