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

Three: Captain T. Bradshaw, Veteran Establishment, late 11th Light Dragoons and H.E.I.C. Cavalry

Army of India 1799-1826, 1 clasp, Bhurtpoor (Private, H.Ms 11th Lt. Dragoons), short hyphen reverse, officially re-engraved naming in running script; Meeanee Hyderabad 1843 (Serjeant Major, 9th Beng. Lt. Cavy.), silver scroll suspension, officially impressed naming in small capitals; Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 1 clasp, Lucknow (Lieut., Rdg. Mr., 4th Eurpn. Lt. Cavly.) minor official correction to rank on this last, generally good very fine (3) £1000-1200

Thomas Bradshaw, a native of Killishandra, County Leitrim, who was recruited at Birmingham, enlisted as a Private in the 11th Light Dragoons in June 1821. Arriving in India at the end of the following year, he fought in the Bhurtpoor operations under Lord Combermere, was advanced to Corporal in August 1830 and transferred to the Honourable East India Company’s service in September 1834.

Bradshaw was subsequently employed at Jugpore, 1835-36 and in operations in the Shekawatti country during 1838 and, as a Sergeant-Major in the 9th Bengal Light Cavalry, fought in the Scinde campaign, being present at Meeanee and Hyderabad - in the former action the regiment carried out a gallant charge, capturing an enemy standard and several pieces of artillery. According to Anderson’s Ubique, Bradshaw also ‘served in the Sutlej campaign under Lord Gough, 1845-46’.

Appointed a Riding Master in the 9th Bengal Light Cavalry in October 1846, he gained advancement to Cornet in the following month. His commission in the rank of Lieutenant, dated 16 May 1854, was granted ‘in consideration of his services in the Field and unblemished character during a service of nearly 32 years’ (official records refer). It was at the time of gaining his commission that Bradshaw submitted a claim for his Army of India Medal (Military letter from Bengal, 26 October 1855, No. 229 refers).

But a final stint of active service remained for the long-served Bradshaw, namely in the Indian Mutiny, when he was present at the final capture of Lucknow, while serving as Riding Master to the Lahore Light Horse. He subsequently transferred as Lieutenant and Riding Master to the 4th European Light Cavalry. His own regiment, the 9th Bengal Light Cavalry, had mutinied at Sialkot in May 1857, and another Wing, under Nicholson, had been disarmed. It seems probable, too, that it was the upheaval caused by these events that led to him having to claim official replacements for his Army of India and Scinde medals.

Bradshaw’s final advancement was to the rank of Captain on the Veteran Establishment in February 1861. Sold with copied research.