Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria. Including a superb collection of medals to the King’s German Legion, Police Medals from the Collection of John Tamplin and a small collection of medals to the Irish Guards

Three: Major-General W. G. Lennox, Indian Army

Candahar Ghuznee Cabul 1842 (Captn., 43rd Regt. Native Lt. Infy) officially engraved naming, with silver brooch bar; Maharajpoor Star 1843 (Captn., 43rd Regt. Native Lt. Infy.), naming officially engraved in small letters, obverse centre enamelled red, reverse with original hook fitted with silver straight bar suspension; Sutlej 1845-46, for Sobraon 1846 (Captn., 43rd Regt. Native Lt. Infy.) officially engraved naming, the three are official replacement medals for those lost at Fyzabad during the Indian Mutiny, good very fine (3) £800-1000

Sold with original commission documents for the rank of Colonel (1.3.1864) and Honorary Major-General (8.6.1862); two booklets: ‘The Mutiny at Fyzabad’, Reprinted from the “Times” of 29th Sept. 1857, Glasgow, 1883, 16pp; ‘Memoir of the late Major-Gen. Wm. Geo. Lennox’, by C. W. & W. G. Lennox, 1894, 16pp., signed by ‘M. G. Lennox’; together with a further single sheet copy of ‘The Mutiny at Fyzabad’; letter dated 19.7.1864 re. stamp duty on his commission as Major-General.

William George Lennox was born at Stirling in 1797. He obtained a cadetship with the H.E.I.Co. and departed for India in 1817. An Ensign and later a Lieutenant in 1818, he was promoted Captain in 1830, Brevet-Major in 1846, Major in 1847, Lieutenant-Colonel in 1853, Brevet-Colonel in 1854 and Colonel in 1864; receiving the honorary rank of Major-General in 1862. Lennox saw active service under the command of General Nott in the First Afghan War, in which he was slightly wounded; the Gwalior War at Maharajpoor and the First Sikh War at Sobraon where he served on the staff of General Sir Hugh Gough as Paymaster. In 1853 he commanded the 38th N.I. at Cawnpore but was transferred in 1856 to the command of the 22nd N.I. at Fyzabad where he also commanded the garrison. On 8 June 1857 he became involved in the Indian Mutiny when, on the approach of the mutinous 17th N.I., en route to Delhi, his command declined to march out and fight them. His men later joined the rebel band and Lennox and his European officers and N.C.Os. were placed under guard and their possessions seized. The officers and N.C.Os. were placed in four boats and sent downstream to supposed safety; most however drowned or were murdered. Lennox and his family were sent down river in a later boat and it is recorded in the booklets how they several times evaded recapture and death until taken under the protection of Nazim Meer Mohamad Hossain Khan who furnished their escape to British held territory.