Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

China 1857-60, 2 clasps, Taku Forts 1860, Pekin 1860 (Josh. Bewsey, 1st Bn. 2nd Regt.) officially impressed naming, contact marks, otherwise very fine £340-£380

Joseph Bewsey was born in Kinsale, Ireland in 1831 and enlisted into the 2nd Foot on 24 June 1856. Promoted Corporal almost immediately, he was demoted and promoted numerous times throughout his career. In 1864 his changed his name to Robert Chilton, reason unknown, and in this year was noted as serving as School Master in the 2nd Battalion. He was clearly an educated man, perhaps running away from something.