Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 1 clasp, Defence of Lucknow (J. Finnell, 32nd L.I.) suspension a little slack, very fine £1,600-£2,000

John Finnell served with the 32nd Foot during the Indian Mutiny, and was killed in action at the disastrous Battle of Chinhut, 30 June 1857. Casualties for the Battle, when Sir Henry Lawrence, on hearing of the fall of Cawnpore, led his men out of Lucknow to meet the much larger rebel army, were 118 Europeans and 182 loyal Indian soldiers killed or missing. As a result of having his force so severely weakened, Lawrence ordered the entire Lucknow force to retire to the Residency. Mortally wounded two days later during the Defence of the Residency, his last words were “to ask the poor fellows who I exposed at Chinhut to forgive me. Bid them remember Cawnpore and never surrender.”