Orders, Decorations and Medals

AFGHANISTAN 1878-80, no clasp (Lt. G.M. Yaldwyn, 216 Foot) small edge bruise, otherwise nearly extremely fine

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals from the Collection of the late Mike Minton.

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Gilbert Moorcroft Yaldwyn was the youngest son of the late General Yaldwyn, H.M's Indian Army, of Blackdown, Sussex. He was born at Bellary in India on the 31 May 1854 and was educated at Wellington College. Entering the Army in October 1877 he was gazetted to a Lieutenancy in the 2nd Battalion, 6th Foot and did duty with the Regiment in this country will the conclusion of its terms of home service. During this period he went through the course at the school of musketry at Hythe and obtained a double first certificate. In October 1878 he sailed with his regiment for India and shortly after his arriving there volunteered for active service in Afghanistan, into which country he was subsequently sent on transport duty. Stationed at various posts on the Khyber Line, he shared throughout the first campaign in the heavy and important duties, which fell to the lot of the branch of the service to which he had been detailed, meeting the incessant calls made upon him and the innumerable difficulties with which he was beset, with a readiness of resource remarkable in one so young. The wear and tear of his work, coupled with constant exposure under violent alternations of temperature at length, however, proved as it did to so many of his gallant comrades, too much for him and while stationed at Gandamak he was attacked with typhoid fever. After some weeks illness he became convalescent and reached Peshawar on his way to the hills for a change of air, when he was seized with cholera, to which fatal disease he succumbed in a few hours on 12 June 1879. A handsome brass tablet has been erected in Lurgashall Church, Sussex to Lt. Yaldwyn's memorial. Sold with further research.