Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A rare Sutlej and New Zealand campaign pair awarded to Major J. Paul, 65th Foot, late 31st Foot: he carried the 31st’s Colours at Moodkee and Ferozeshuhur, at which latter battle he was wounded

Sutlej 1845-46, for Moodkee 1845, 3 clasps, Ferozeshuhur, Aliwal, Sobraon (Lieut., 31st Regt.); New Zealand 1845-66, reverse undated (Major, 65th Foot), both with Lazareck, Aldershot silver riband buckles for wearing, the first with contact marks and edge nicks, very fine, the second good very fine (2) £1800-2200

James Paul, who was born at Athlone in January 1825, entered the 31st Foot as an Ensign in November 1843, and subsequently shared in his regiment’s honours in the First Sikh War. Charged with the onerous duty of carrying the Colours at the battles of Moodkee and Ferozeshuhur in December 1845, he became a rallying point in the confused fighting at the former engagement, and was wounded by a musket-ball in the latter. He was afterwards present at the skirmish at Buddiwal in January 1846, at the battle of Aliwal in the same month, and finally at Sobraon that February. But, according to the memoirs of a fellow officer of the 31st, Paul not only gained distinction on the battlefield, his overwhelming hunger on one occasion compelling him to take the rations of some absent fellow officers:

‘ ... P. stole a tongue which was to be divided among those who were absent. We did not find out till long after who had taken it, but we used to shout out at breakfast, “Who stole the tongue?” And at length P. confessed, saying that some one else would have taken it if he had not! This brought the whole mess about his ears, and some never gave him a moment’s peace afterwards; he has since bolted to the 65th, I think ...’

Indeed he had, joining the 65th as a newly promoted Lieutenant in October 1846, but he would not witness any further active service until his regiment was posted to New Zealand. Employed in the province of Taranaki between March 1860 and March 1861, Paul was present in the action at Kohea Pah on 17-18 March 1860, in the expedition to Warea in April 1860, and in the actions at Kairau on 29-30 December 1860 and Huirangi on 10 February 1861. Mentioned in the despatch of the Colonel Commanding the Forces in New Zealand to the Military Secretary, Horse Guards, dated at Waitera on 19 March 1860, he was given the Brevet of Major in January 1862 and saw further active service in the Taranaki and Waikato provinces in 1863, including the action at Kohirva on 17 July.

Paul was advanced to substantive Major in May 1866 and was placed on the Retired List in July of the following year.