Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

An extremely rare ‘Umbeyla operations - Conical Hill’ D.C.M. pair awarded to Colour Sergeant D. McGrath, 101st Regiment, who saved his officer’s life by bayoneting the leader of a group of onrushing tribesmen. McGrath is recorded as having previously been ‘wounded at Delhi, 23 June 1857, musket ball right wrist’, during the Indian Mutiny

Distinguished Conduct Medal, V.R. (Cr. Serjt. D. McGrath 101st Regt.) with contemporary silver top riband bar; Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 2 clasps, Delhi, Lucknow (Denis Megreth [sic], 1st Eurn. Bengal Fusrs.) contact marks, nearly very fine (2) £4,000-£5,000

Provenance: Spink, July 1995 (D.C.M. as a single); Dix Noonan Webb, December 2004 (Indian Mutiny as a single).

D.C.M. London Gazette 19 March 1864, for Conical Hill, Umbeyla, 15 December 1863:

‘No. 696, Colour-Sergeant Denis Megreth, No. 9 Company - was one of the first men in on the right of the Conical Hill, and saved Major Lambert’s life. Several men attacked Major Lambert, and his pistol miss fired twice. This soldier rushed in front of Major Lambert and bayonetted the leader.’

Denis Megreth/McGrath was in Skull, County Cork, and attested for the E.I.C. Infantry at Gloucester in November 1850. He was allocated to Bengal, and embarked for India on the Mary Sheppard in July 1851. McGrath was posted as a Private to the 1st Bengal European Fusiliers, and served with the Regiment during the Indian Mutiny. His service papers record that he was ‘wounded at Delhi 23 June 1857 musket ball right wrist.’

In May 1861 the Bengal European Regiment of Fusiliers was disbanded to become her Her Majesty’s 101st Regiment (Royal Bengal Fusiliers), into which Corporal McGrath duly volunteered. He advanced to Colour Sergeant in March 1862, and served with the Regiment during the Umbeyla campaign of 1863.

McGrath distinguished himself at Conical Hill, 15 December 1863, when he helped save the life of Major G. C. Lambert. On the latter date an attack in two columns was made upon an enemy stronghold, a peak known as Conical Hill. The first column under the command of Colonel W. W. Turner consisted of the Hazara Mountain Train Battery, 7th Fusiliers, 3rd Punjabs, 4th Gurkhas, 23rd and 32nd Native Infantry. The second column under Lieutenant-Colonel A. T. Wilde consisted of the Peshawar Mountain Train Battery, 101st Regiment, Corps of Guides, 3rd Sikhs and 5th Gurkhas. Lieutenant-Colonel J. L. Vaughan was left in charge of the camp with 2,900 men. The British attack was pressed with great energy, at the point of the bayonet Conical Hill was taken as was the village of Laloo beyond, the vigour of the attack completely overwhelming the tribesmen. British casualties were 16 killed and 67 wounded with an estimated 400 enemy tribesmen killed or wounded.

During the advance:

‘Major G. C. Lambert, commanding the advance companies of the Regiment, had a very narrow escape. Being a little in advance of his men, he was surrounded by ten or twelve of the hill men, and would have been cut to pieces had not three or four of No. 1 Company rushed to his assistance and kept the enemy at bay till more men could get up. One of the men defending Major Lambert had no fewer than fourteen sword wounds: they were all clean cuts, and healed in three months time.’ (Regimental History refers)

McGrath was discharged, 17 May 1870, having served 21 years and 184 days with the Colours.

1 of 16 D.C.M.s awarded for the Umbeyla campaign of 1863.

Sold with copied research, including photographic image of recipient in uniform.