Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 1 clasp, Delhi (Sergt. John Smith, Bengal S & M.) naming officially engraved in fine running script but with some corrections, edge marks, otherwise good very fine £1000-2000

Victoria Cross London Gazette 27 April 1858:

‘John Smith, Sergeant, Bengal Sappers & Miners. Date of act of bravery: 14th September 1857. For conspicuous gallantry, in conjunction with Lieutenants Home and Salkeld; in performance of the desperate duty of blowing in the Cashmere Gate of the Fortress of Delhi in broad daylight, under a heavy and destructive fire of musketry, on the morning of the 14th September 1857, preparatory to the assault.’ [General Order of Major-General Sir Archdale Wilson, Bart., K.C.B., dated headquarters, Delhi City 21st September 1857]

John Smith was born in February 1814 in Ticknall, Derbyshire, the sixth of eight children, and originally enlisted for unlimited service in the East India Company’s Artillery but transferred to the Sappers and Miners in 1838. Prior to his great gallantry at Delhi in September 1857, he had seen service in the Cabul campaign of 1842 and in the Sutlej and Punjab campaigns of 1845-46 and 1848-49. In addition to being rewarded with the V.C. for the legendary Cashmere gate incident, Smith was promoted to Sub-Conductor, and was eventually commissioned into the Royal Bengal Engineers. He died of dysentery whilst serving at Jullundar on 26 June 1864 and was buried in the town's Artillery Cemetery. His headstone showed his rank as Ensign.

A Victoria Cross attributed to Smith was sold at Sotheby’s in September 1989, the dated cross being described as genuine but the named suspension bar of later and unofficial manufacture. It has been speculated that his V.C. might have been split from the suspension bar and ‘made into two’ in order for these and his other medals to be inherited by various family members.