Special Collections

Sold between 23 & 17 September 2004

3 parts

.

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

Brian Ritchie

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Lot

№ 47

.

2 March 2005

Hammer Price:
£2,800

The Indian Mutiny medal to Private John Overmass, 32nd Light Infantry, massacred at Cawnpore

Indian Mutiny 1857-59, no clasp (J. Overmass, 32nd L.I.) edge bruise, otherwise extremely fine and rare £2000-2500

Private John Overmass was massacred massacred in the boats at Sati Chowra on the banks of the river Ganges, near Cawnpore, on 27 June 1857.

A detachment of the 32nd under Captain John Moore (qv), with 2 Lieutenants and 87 N.C.O.’s and men, was stationed at Cawnpore. All were massacred. Medals to these poor unfortunate men, however, are of the utmost rarity and it is probable that, for the most part, they remained unclaimed and were eventually returned to be melted down.

Ref: Casualty Roll of the Indian Mutiny (Tavender).