Auction Catalogue

8 September 2015

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Orders, Decorations and Medals

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Lot

№ 317 x

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8 September 2015

Hammer Price:
£1,000

Pair: Quartermaster and Honorary Major W. H. Topp, 26th Regiment, late 75th Regiment

Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 1 clasp, Delhi (Colr. Serjt., 75th Regt.); Abyssinia 1867 (Quatr. Mastr., 26th Regt.) first with minor contact marks, good very fine and better (2) £700-800

Ex D.N.W. 1 December 2004.

William Henry Topp was born in Lincolme, Widcombe, Somerset on 11 June 1825. He attested for the 75th Regiment on 10 July 1844. Promoted Corporal in March 1849, he sailed with the regiment to India, arriving in August 1849 when he was advanced to Serjeant. Promoted to Colour Serjeant in January 1850, he was based variously at Umballa, Agra, Peshawur and Rawalpindi. At the time of the outbreak of the Indian Mutiny he was based at Kussowlie. With the 75th Regiment he took part in the advance to Delhi under General George Anson, the assault of Badli-ki-Serai (8 June 1857) under General Barnard and the siege of Delhi under General Sir Archdale Wilson (the previous generals having died of cholera). The 75th were commended by the C. in C. in the General Orders of April 1862, ‘... exposed for 1,200 yards to a destructive fire of round shot and grape, which caused a very heavy loss to the Regiment in killed and wounded, took the battery by storm, and enabled the British force to take up that same day their position before Delhi. Nothing more useful, nothing more brilliant was done during the late campaign than the opening at Badli-ki-Sarai of the road to Delhi by the 75th Regiment.’ Departing Delhi in June 1857, he was based at Rohundshuhur (July-September), Alum Bagh (October-December) and thence, until the end of the war, at Meerut. In January 1860 Topp was appointed Quarter Master Sergeant of the 75th Regiment; coming to the post with a high recommendation from his commanding officer. In July the same year he was promoted to the commissioned rank of Quarter Master. Returning to England in September 1862, Topp transferred to the 26th Regiment in July 1864. Returning with the 26th to India, he subsequently accompanied the regiment to Abyssinia. Arriving on 31 March 1868, the regiment guarded the lines of communication around Kumayli and Senafe but by 11 June had returned to Bombay at the conclusion of that brief African campaign. Topp returned to England with the regiment in 1875 and in July 1881 he was granted the honorary rank of Captain. He retired on 29 October 1881 with the honorary rank of Major (
London Gazette 28 October 1881). With copied service papers and other research.