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

The Sutlej campaign medal to Captain J. E. Codd, 3rd Light Dragoons, killed in action at the battle of Ferozeshuhur

Sutlej 1845-46, for Moodkee 1845, 1 clasp, Ferozeshuhur (Lieut. J: E: Codd 3rd Lt. Dragns.) dark toned, nearly extremely fine £3500-4000

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 Edward Codd entered the Army on 21 July 1825, as an unattached Ensign on half-pay. In 1827 he joined H.M’s 69th Regiment of Foot and on 27 April was promoted Lieutenant. On 12 February 1830, he transferred to the H.M’s 44th Regiment at Cawnpore. He became Adjutant in March 1834, and held that appointment until 30 June 1837, when he transferred to the 3rd Light Dragoons who were on their way out to India. He joined the regiment at Calcutta and returned with them to Cawnpore. In October 1843, after a furlough of three years, he proceeded to the Upper Provinces with a detachment of recruits, acting at first as Interpreter and later in command of the draft, joining the main body of the 3rd Light Dragoons at Ambala in the spring of 1844.

Following the outbreak of the First Sikh War, the 3rd Light Dragoons were ordered to join Sir Hugh Gough’s 12,000-strong army which, late in the day on 18 December, encountered a detached enemy force variously estimated at a strength of between 15,000 and 25,000 men, occupying the village of Moodkee. The 3rd Light Dragoons were still in the saddle when the irregular cavalry, who had been patrolling forward, galloped in with reports of the enemy’s presence. The alarm was sounded and staff officers hurriedly marked out the ground for each unit.

The 3rd Light Dragoons were posted on the British right and after an artillery duel between the British and Sikh guns, Gough decided to send his cavalry forward to clear the enemy’s flanks as a preliminary to the advance. Lieutenant Codd charged with his regiment causing the Sikh cavalry to fall back before a sword was crossed. Then occurred one of the finest feats of the whole campaign:

‘On coming up to the Sikh line the British cavalry, led by the 3rd Light Dragoons, wheeled left and charged right along its rear, the Light Dragoons overrunning some of the guns and sabreing the gunners. Then they returned, bringing a captured standard with them, and cutting their way through a somewhat ineffective mass of Sikh cavalry who tried to bar their path. On their way back they suffered from snipers perched in trees, whom they engaged not unsuccessfully with their carbines.’ It was this charge that earned the 3rd Light Dragoons their proud sobriquet of ‘The Moodkee Wallahs’. The Sikhs had another term - Shaitan ke Bachhi (the Devil’s Children).

The day after the Battle of Moodkee, Codd was promoted Captain in consequence of the death of Major Herries of the 3rd Light Dragoons, and, on 21 December, was present at Ferozeshuhur, where the 3rd Light Dragoons made another magnificent charge, this time protecting the advance of Gilbert’s division by bursting into an enemy battery and killing the gunners. Riding over the guns they careered through the infantry behind to rally on the far side of the enemy camp. But the cost was high, Captain Codd himself being amongst the killed.

Of the battle of Ferozeshuhur, Sir John Fortescue wrote, ‘The heroes of the action were beyond doubt the Third Light Dragoons. It is rare for cavalry to charge entrenched artillery; and only troopers of rare devotion and discipline would have faced such a trial. The Third had lost nearly one hundred men and over one hundred and twenty horses on the 18th of December; they lost one hundred and fifty-two more men and sixty horses on the 21st; yet the remnant without hesitation charged and defeated superior numbers of Sikh cavalry on the 22nd. Few regiments of horse in the world can show a finer record of hardihood and endurance.’

Codd married in September 1834, Cornelia Mary Ann, daughter of Lieutenant D. O. Holst, half-pay, 53rd Foot.

Ref: Soldiers of the Raj (De Rhé-Philipe); History of the British Cavalry (Anglesey).