Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

China 1842 (George Tate, 98th Regiment Foot.) with original suspension, edge bruising, good very fine £500-£700

George Tate was born at Little Gidden, Huntingdonshire, in 1806 and attested for the 98th Regiment of Foot at Huntingdon on 19 April 1824. He served with the Regiment in South Africa for 13 years from December 1824 to 1837, and then, after a few years’ home service, embarked with the regiment for China on board H.M.S. Belleisle in December 1841, arriving at Hong Kong in May 1842.

The 98th formed part of the force that assaulted and captured Ching-Kiang Foo on 21 July 1842. This was one of the hardest engagements of the war but with Nanking under threat of attack the Chinese sued for peace, hostilities were suspended and a treaty signed on 29 August. Thereafter the 98th re-embarked on the Belleisle on 3 September, arriving in Hong Kong on 29 September. There being no available accommodation on shore, the regiment had to remain on board ship for the following four months. Although the 98th had only one man wounded at Ching-Kiang Foo, the death rate from the effects of sun, cholera and malaria were extremely high and in the six months between June and December 1842, there were a total of 283 deaths in the regiment. Tate survived the posting, and was discharged on 13 May 1845, after 21 years and 25 days’ service.

Sold with copied service papers and other research.