Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

India General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, Bhootan (508 W Edmundson H.M’s. 80th. Regt.) minor edge bruising, good very fine £240-300

William Edmundson was born in Oldham, Lancashire, in 1840 and attested for the 80th (Staffordshire Volunteers) Regiment of Foot in June 1859. He served with the Regiment in India from September 1860, and took part in the operations in Bhootan, December 1864 until February 1866. With the campaign over, he transferred later that month to the 12th (East Suffolk) Regiment of Foot. His period with the East Suffolks was marked by numerous imprisonments for ‘habitual drunkenness’. Pooled to the 40th (2nd Somersetshire) Regiment of Foot in July 1877, he was posted home in December 1882, after a remarkable 22 years and 31 days’ continuous service in India, and discharged the following month.