Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria, to include the Brian Ritchie Collection (Part I)

The outstanding C.B., Dooranee Empire and early Indian campaign group to Major-General John Christie, commanding Christie’s Irregular Horse, later the 9th Irregular Cavalry

(a) Order of the Bath, C.B. (Military) breast badge in 22 carat gold and enamels, hallmarked London 1843, maker’s initials WN, complete with gold ribbon buckle

(b) Army of India 1799-1826, 1 clasp, Bhurtpoor (Lieut. J. Christie, 3rd Cavy.) short hyphen reverse, officially engraved naming

(c) Ghuznee 1839, unnamed as issued, with original suspension

(d) Candahar Ghuznee Cabul 1842, unnamed as issued, fitted with original steel clip and bar suspension

(e) Punniar Star 1843 (Captain J. Christie, 8th Regt. Irregular Cavalry) fitted with contemporary silver bar for suspension

(f) Sutlej 1845-46, for Moodkee 1846, 2 clasps, Ferozeshuhur, Sobraon (Capt. J. Christie, 3rd Regt. L.C.)

(g) Punjab 1848-49, 2 clasps, Chilianwala, Goojerat


(h) Order of the Dooranee Empire 1839, 3rd Class breast badge, gold and enamels, of fine quality European manufacture, the reverse centre with finely engraved Persian inscription to match the obverse, now lacking circlet of pearls, fitted with gold ribbon buckles, all contained in a fine contemporary fitted display case with hinged double lids, some edge bruises and contact marks but generally very fine or better, a magnificent group of great appeal and rarity £9000-12000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Brian Ritchie Collection of H.E.I.C. and British India Medals.

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John Christie, the son Andrew Christie of Ferrybank, was born at Cupar, Fife, on 13 November 1805, and was nominated a Cavalry Cadet by the Hon. H. Lindsay at the recommendation of his father in 1823. He arrived in India on 14 May 1823, having been appointed Cornet in the 3rd Bengal Light Cavalry on the 1st of that month. Promoted Lieutenant on 18 May 1824, he was present with his regiment at the Siege and Capture of Bhurtpoor in 1826, and was appointed Adjutant on 10 June 1826 until 9 May 1831 when he proceeded on furlough till 9 November 1834.

On 28 August 1838 he was appointed to the command of Shah Soojah’s 1st Cavalry, or Christie’s Horse as the regiment became known. The regiment was one of two cavalry regiments of Shah Soojah’s six thousand strong force recruited from the Bengal Army, commanded by British officers, and paid for by the Indian Government. This supported the lie that Shah Soojah was re-entering his country accompanied by his own troops to recover his family’s ancient throne from Dost Mohammed, whom Lord Auckland wished to see deposed, so that the supposed Perso-Russian menace might be tackled head on.

Christie led his regiment in the successful invasion and was present at the capture of Ghuznee and at Fort Pashut. In 1841-42, he served with General Nott’s force at Candahar, and at this time was joined by Crawford Chamberlain (qv) as his Adjutant, and by his brother Neville Chamberlain (qv) as a subordinate officer. Having won their spurs in the fierce fighting around the city in the summer of 1842, Christie led ‘five Rissalahs of Christie’s Irregular Horse’ on Nott’s long march to Cabul. On 28 August 1842 he commanded a detachment which drove off a strong enemy force that attacked Nott’s rear guard, and was later included in the list of officers ‘conspicuous for their zeal and gallantry’ under Nott since 1839 (London Gazette 24 November 1842). He participated at the taking of Istaliffe which brought the Indian Government’s first and most disastrous involvement in Afghanistan to a close. On 2 January 1843, Christie was appointed Commandant of the 8th Irregular Cavalry and led that corps at the Battle of Punniar on 29 December 1843 in the Gwalior Campaign (London Gazette 8 March 1844). In 1844 the 9th Bengal Irregular Cavalry was formed from Christie’s Horse and a detached element of the latter unit which had been serving in Scinde under Crawford Chamberlain, and which had been known in the meantime as Chamberlain’s Horse. On 27 April 1844 Christie was appointed Commandant of the 9th Bengal Irregular Cavalry (Christie’s Horse). He was promoted Captain on 1 January 1846 and Major on 3 April 1846.

During the First Sikh War he was present with his regiment at Moodkee, Ferozeshuhur and Sobraon. At Ferozeshuhur the regiment charged the south-eastern face of the Sikh entrenchments and on the confused night of 21-22 December 1845, Christie was able to clarify the battle situation for Sir John Littler (qv) and Sir Harry Smith at Misreewala, where Captain Lumley, the over-excited acting Assistant Adjutant-General of the Army, had failed. At Sobraon Christie’s Horse formed part of the brigade commanded by Alexander Campbell of the 9th Lancers who was ‘palpably drunk and incapable’. Fortunately the brigade was in reserve and was not called into action. During the Second Sikh War Christie was present at the passage of the Chenab, at Chilianwala, and Gujerat. In the latter battle he served under Sir John Hearsey (qv) on the British right.

Promoted Lieutenant-Colonel on 7 June 1849 and Brevet Colonel on 28 November 1854, Christie continued in command of his regiment until it partly mutinied in 1857. He was appointed Brigadier, 2nd class, for special service on 29 October 1857, and was transferred to the 1st European Light Cavalry (which became the 19th Hussars in 1861) in 1858. The 9th Irregular Cavalry (Christie’s Horse) was disbanded in 1861. Christie retired to Europe on furlough in 1859 and served as an A.D.C. to the Queen from 7 March 1856 till 21 February 1861, when he was made Major-General. He was appointed a Companion of the Bath on 13 March 1867, and died at San Remo, Italy, on 7 May 1869.

Refs: Officers of the Bengal Army 1758-1834 (Hodson); The Sikh Wars (Cook); A History of the British Cavalry 1816-1850 (Anglesey).