Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Seven: Colour Sergeant James Byrne, 13th or Prince Albert’s Light Infantry

Cabul 1842 (Pt. Byrnes J. Byrne 13th P.A.L.I.) ‘Pt. Byrnes’ regimentally impressed, otherwise engraved, fitted with contemporary silver bar suspension; Defence of Jellalabad 1842, Mural Crown (Pt. James Byrne P. A.) regimentally impressed naming with some loss to unit, fitted with contemporary silver bar suspension; Crimea 1854-56, 1 clasp, Sebastopol (Cr. Sergt. James Burnes (sic) 13th or P.A. Lt. Inf.) clasp loose on ribbon as issued; Indian Mutiny 1857-59, no clasp (Color Sergt. J. Byrne. 1st Bn. 13th Lt. Infy.); Army L.S. & G.C., V.R., 3rd issue, small letter reverse (Cl. Serjt. Jas. Byrne, 13th Lt. Infy.); Army Meritorious Service Medal, V.R. (Color Serjt. James Byrne 1st Battn. 13th Regt.); Turkish Crimea 1855, Sardinian issue (1207 C. Sergt. James Byrne. 13th L.I.) regimentally impressed naming, fitted with contemporary silver bar suspension, campaign medals with edge bruising and contact marks, good fine or better, L.S. & G.C. very fine, M.S.M. good very fine, a rare group (7) £3,000-£4,000

James Byrne was born in the Parish of St Catherine’s, Dublin, in July 1820. He attested for the 13th Light Infantry in Dublin in July 1839, aged 19, a labourer by trade. Byrne was one of the detachment of 90 men of the 13th under Ensign Stapylton who left Gravesend on 8 November 1839 to sail via the Cape and land at Calcutta on 21 July 1840. The detachment then proceeded by boat to Cawnpore, and from there marched to Kabul via Meerut, Ferozepore, Peshawar and Jellalabad, arriving in Kabul on 21 April 1841, a journey of 17 months. Following the campaign in Afghanistan, Byrne received promotion to Corporal in October 1843, embarked for Bombay in December 1844, from where they set off for England in the H.E.I.C. steamers Pluto and Sesostris in March 1845, arriving at the end of July and early August. Byrne was promoted to Sergeant in October 1845 and was subsequently stationed in Ireland until April 1850, when the regiment moved to Fort George, and in May 1851 to Gibraltar. There they were employed on garrison duty until June 1855 when they embarked for the Crimea, Byrne having been appointed Colour Sergeant the previous month. Byrne spent 11 months in the Crimea, after which he served with the regiment at the Cape until August 1857, when orders were received to proceed to India following the outbreak of the mutiny. He was awarded his L.S. & G.C. medal in September 1858 and continued to serve in India until 7 August 1859, when he was invalided and eventually returned home in August 1860. He was discharged at Fermoy on 28 August 1861, having completed his period of engagement. He was then ‘in possession of six medals and one clasp viz a medal for the defence of Jellalabad, a medal for the recapture of Cabul, a medal for the Crimea with clasp for Sebastopol, the Turkish Crimea medal, a medal for the suppression of the Indian Mutiny of 1857-58 and of the medal for Good Conduct and Long Service with a gratuity of £15.’ He was awarded the M.S.M. together with an annuity of £20 in 1867, a vacancy presumably having become available. Colour Sergeant Byrne was able to enjoy his annuity for a remarkably long time before he died on 13 May 1897.

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