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

Pair: Lieutenant Joseph Peel, 1st Regiment Sikh Local Infantry, mortally wounded in the storming of the heights of Dalla in January 1849

Sutlej 1845-46, for Moodkee 1845, 2 clasps, Ferozeshuhur, Sobraon (Capt. J. Peel, 37th Regt. N.I.); Punjab 1848-49, no clasp (Lieut. J. Peel, 1st Regt. Sikh Local Infy.) both medals fitted with silver ribbon buckles, some edge bruising and contact marks, otherwise good very fine (2) £1200-1500

Joseph Peel was born at Shanklin, Isle of Wight, on 12 September 1823, son of Lieutenant Edmund Peel, 25th Foot. He was educated at Dr Knox’s School, Tunbridge, and Rev. T. Scard’s School, Walsham. He entered the Bengal Army in 1841, and was posted to the 37th Native Infantry in January 1842. Unfortunately this regiment was destroyed in the retreat from Cabul, and Peel was consequently directed to Delhi, to do duty with the 3rd Infantry Levy. In November 1843 he joined the re-formed 37th at Allahabad, and later at Nasirabad.

In November 1845 he proceeded on two months’ leave to visit the camp of the Governor-General, Lieutenant-General Hardinge, and accompanied the camp when His Excellency took the field with the Army of the Sutlej. As an acting Aide-de-Camp he served on His Excellency’s Staff at the battles of Moodkee and Ferozeshuhur, in the latter of which he was wounded. He was then, with effect from the 21st December, appointed an Aide-de-Camp to His Excellency, and in that capacity he served until the conclusion of the campaign, including the battle of Sobraon (Despatches, medal with two clasps).

Peel continued on the personal staff of the Governor-General until near the end of 1847, when, on Lord Hardinge going home, he was appointed Second-in-Command of the 1st Sikh Local Infantry. He joined this regiment at Hoshiarpur, and during the earlier part of the Punjab Campaign of 1848-49 he was employed with it in various operations against the insurgents in the Jullundur, Bari Rechna Doabs, including the surprise and capture of the fort of Akrot on the 1st December.

In January 1849, he was detached in command of two companies to join a force under Brigadier Wheeler operating against the insurgent Ram Singh, and gallantly leading these companies in the storming of the heights of Dalla, on the left bank of the Ravi, on the 16th of that month, he received a dangerous wound, from the effects of which he died, in camp near Dalla, on the following day. Sold with full research.