Auction Catalogue

7 December 2005

Starting at 10:00 AM

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Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Grand Connaught Rooms  61 - 65 Great Queen St  London  WC2B 5DA

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Lot

№ 960

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7 December 2005

Hammer Price:
£2,000

Three: Lieutenant-Colonel F. W. Knight, Divisional Paymaster, Abyssinian Field Force, late 1st European Fusiliers and 1st Belooch Battalion

Punjab 1848-49, 2 clasps, Mooltan, Goojerat (2nd Lieut., 1st Eur. Fusiliers); Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 1 clasp, Delhi (Lieut., 1st Belooch Batn.); Abyssinia 1867 (Major, Paymaster 2nd Division) mounted as worn on a triple brooch bar and contained in a Hunt & Roskell fitted case together with an original obituary cutting, light contact marks, otherwise very fine and better (3) £2000-2400

Frederic William Knight was born in about June 1829, and joined the Indian Army on the Bombay Establishment in April 1847. After postings to the 1st and 8th Regiments of Native Infantry, he was permitted to exchange to the 1st European Regiment in March 1848, and served with the Bombay Column of the Army of the Punjab in 1848-49. He was present at the siege and surrender of Mooltan, the battle of Goojerat, and pursuit and surrender of the Sikh Army (Medal and two clasps).

Promoted to Lieutenant in June 1852, Knight was appointed Acting Interpreter to the 16th N.I. in September 1856, and as second-in-command to the 1st Belooch Battalion in February 1857. He served with this battalion at the siege, assault and capture of Delhi, at the action fought near Gungeeree on the 14 December 1857, the passage of the Ganges at Dinapore, and subsequent operations on the bank of the Ganges until 15 February 1858 (Medal and clasp).

Appointed to the Bombay Staff Corps in May 1861, he was promoted to Captain in April 1862, and to Major in April 1867, and served as Paymaster to the 2nd Division of the Abyssinian Expeditionary Force at Zoola and Senafi, being employed on field service from 19th January to 10th June 1868 (Medal). He was subsequently Paymaster, Poona Division, from July 1868, and Presidency Paymaster at Bombay from June 1871. He went on Furlough to Europe on sick certificate from August 1871 and did not return to India. He retired in December 1871, and died at Upper Norwood in August 1902, aged 72. Sold with copied research.