Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 1 clasp, Central India (Ensn. H. C. Wilkinson, 95th Regt.) naming rubbed, fitted with replacement copy suspension claw and suspension rod, considerable overall contact pitting, otherwise fine £300-£400

Henry Clement Wilkinson was born on 17 April 1837, son of Rev. Percival S. Wilkinson. He entered the Army as an Ensign in the 95th Foot on 15 February 1856, and served with the 95th in the Indian Mutiny 1857-58, and was present at the siege and capture of Awah, the siege, assault and capture of Kotah, the battle of Kotah-ke-Serai, the general action resulting in the capture of Gwalior, the assault and capture of Rowah, the siege and capture of Pouree, the battle of Beejapore, and the affair of Koondry (Medal with clasp Central India).

On the assault and capture of Rowah, Wilkinson wrote, ‘we were assisted by a regiment of native auxiliaries armed with bows and arrows, and I believe that their flight of arrows, at their full range, did more execution among the ranks of the defenders than the bullets of the 95th, as the arrows with a high trajectory searched the ground immediately behind the parapet, and on storming the place the first two bodies met with were those of men who had been killed by arrows. These auxiliary troops were perfect savages, and later in the day might have been seen returning from the captured village with bunches of men’s heads tied together by their hair.’

On his return from India Wilkinson transferred to the 16th Lancers, becoming Captain in September 1873, and Major in July 1870. He commanded the 16th Lancers 1870-77, and was Inspector-General of Auxiliary Cavalry 1877-79, having been promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel in July 1877. He was Military Secretary to the Commander-in-Chief India, 1880, and commanded the cavalry Brigade in Southern Afghanistan with General Phayre; took part in the advance from Quetta to Kandahar (Despatches; medal with clasp).

He served in the Egyptian War of 1882, in command of the Cavalry Brigade of the Indian Contingent, and was present at the battle of Tel-el-Kebir. He led the famous night march that the British Army made on the night of 12th September, and seized Belbeis the following day. On the 14th, ‘not being aware that orders had been given for no troops to enter Cairo’ passed on towards ‘Rond Pont de Faghalla’, and by seven a.m. the next morning was in possession of the central railway station and the telegraph office. (Twice mentioned in despatches; C.B; Medal with clasp; 2nd Class Order of Medjidie; Khedive’s Bronze Star)

He was promoted to Major-General in March 1887, and to Lieutenant-General in May 1894, having commanded the North-East District of England 1891-94. Major-General Wilkinson died at Kenora, Ontario, on 23 November 1908.