Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Afghanistan 1878-80, no clasp (88 Sergt. Maj. W. Rixon, 2/60th Foot) very fine £100-140

William Rixon was born in Winterbourne Stoke, Salisbury, Wiltshire in 1840. He attested for the 60th Rifles at Romsey on 3 February 1858, aged 18 years. With the regiment he served 12 years in the East Indies; nearly two years in China and just under a year in Afghanistan. On 6 June 1870 Colour Serjeant Rixon was taken to hospital for a fracture of the right frontal facial bone - he had been struck in the face with a rifle butt by a Rifleman Watson while on parade! In July 1872 attained the rank of Serjeant-Major. He was discharged from the K.R.R.C. on 15 June 1880 but in September 1881 he was appointed Sergeant-Instructor on the Permanent Staff of the 1st Surrey Rifle Volunteers at Camberwell and in January 1887 he was appointed Acting Sergeant-Major of the unit. Rixon was discharged from the 1st Surrey Rifle Volunteers in August 1887. On 21 September 1889 Rixon was appointed a Yeoman of the Guard at the Tower of London. For his services he was awarded the China Medal with clasps for Taku Forts 1860 and Pekin 1860 (this held by The Rifles Museum, Winchester); the Afghanistan Medal without clasp; the Army L.S. & G.C. and the Jubilee Medal 1897 in silver and Coronation Medal 1902 in bronze. He died on 28 May 1905.

With a quantity of copied research, including service papers.