The Brian Ritchie Collection of H.E.I.C. and British India Medals

The Punjab and Indian Mutiny pair to Major-General Sir Robert Honner, K.C.B., Indian Army, Brigade Commander in Persia and with the Central India Field Force

(a) Punjab 1848-49, 1 clasp, Mooltan (Major Robert Wm. Honner, Comg. 4th Regt. N.I.)

(b) Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 1 clasp, Central India (Brigdr. R. W. Honner, C.B. Rajpootana Fd. Force) both medals fitted with contemporary gold ribbon buckles, contact marks, otherwise nearly very fine or better (2) £1200-1500

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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Robert Honner, the son of a ‘private gentleman’, was born at Trichinopoly on 30 June 1799, and educated in Ireland. He was nominated for the Bombay Infantry by W. T. Money, Esq., on the recommendation of Charles Forbes, Esq., and was appointed Ensign in the 4th Bombay Native Infantry in 1821. In 1824 he was employed in operations against the Meenahs, and later the same year was made ‘Acting Line Adjutant’ at Deesa. He became Adjutant of his regiment on 11 May 1826, and acting Major of Brigade at Sholapore on 26 March 1832. He relinquished the adjutancy in 1842 on being appointed to the command of the Poona recruiting depot.

In 1847 he succeeded to the command of his regiment and the following year commanded it in operations before Mooltan for which he was mentioned in Brigadier-General Dundas’s despatch of 28 December 1848. ‘Major Mignan with the first column moved to the left clearing the ramparts while the columns under Major Mant and Major Honner pushing for the centre of the town established themselves in the grain market, I have great pleasure in bringing to the notice of the Major Genl. the conduct of Major Mignan Commdg. 1 Fus., Major Mant Commdg. 19 Regt. and Major Honner Commdg 4.N.I. (Rifles)’ (London Gazette 7 March 1849). He was again mentioned in despatches on 7 January 1849, by Brigadier Stalker following the capture of the citadel at Mooltan (London Gazette 23 March 1849). As a result of his services in the Second Sikh War he was promoted Lieutenant-Colonel by Brevet (London Gazette 5 June 1849). In May 1854 he was given command of the Poona Brigade.

In 1856, Honner was appointed Brigadier, 2nd class, commanding the 2nd Infantry Brigade in the Persian Expeditionary Force. He was present at the capture of Reshire Fort and the surrender of Bushire in December 1856, and at the battle of Khushab on 7 February 1857, where he gained the ‘warmest approbation’ of General Stalker. For his services in Persia, Honner was recommended for a C.B. by General Sir James Outram in his despatch dated 17 June, the award being announced on 21 January 1858.

In August 1857, he was appointed to the command of troops on the island of Karrackasa until his return to Bombay in March 1858. He next served as Brigadier, 1st class, in Sir Hugh Rose’s Central India Field Force in Rajputana, and later subjugated the Waghers in Kathiwar with a force comprising the 1st Bombay Grenadiers, the 11th, 14th, and 17th Marine Battalions. Honner transferred to the 30th N.I. in April 1861 and was promoted to Major-General in September of the same year. He was Commander of the Scinde Division from March 1863 to May 1866, and was created K.C.B. in March 1865. Major-General Honner died in London on 8 November 1868.

Refs: IOL L/MIL/142/200-203; IOL L/MIL/69; IOL L/MIL/12/69, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82; History of the Bombay Army; History of the 6th Rajputana Rifles (James); Modern English Biography (Boase).