A SUPERB "CASUALTY" THREE CLASP
SUTLEJ MEDAL 1846.

(MOODKEE Reverse)

FEROZESHUHUR.
ALIWAL.
SOBRAON









To:
Cpl WILLIAM BECKET 50th (WEST KENT) Regiment.
"KILLED IN ACTION" at SOBRAON, 10th February 1846.

[BIOGRAPHY]
William Becket was born in Winchester in 1818 and prior to joining the army was a labourer of almost 19 years of age. He was 5ft 6.75" tall and received the then very decent sum of £2/12s/6d upon joining. His first regiment was 67th Foot (South Hampshire Regt) to which he attested as 1123 on 27th January 1837. After initial training at Sheerness & Chatham he was transferred to 50th Foot (Queen's Own) on 1st June 1837 as 1156.

[SERVICE CAREER]
The marked feature of William Becket's service was that the whole of his service time of nine years was to be spent overseas. Fourteen months after joining up he is seen leaving England on 29th March 1838 en-route to SYDNEY, N.S.W. AUSTRALIA. The unit had acted since 1834 as ship guards for prisoners who had been sentenced by the English courts to serve various periods of transportation in the penal colonies.

History relates that this was the last time he would ever see England.

The voyage to Australia was a very prolonged event with a journey time of some five months. Obviously he had become unwell on the voyage as he's seen in hospital in Sydney in October 1838.

During what was to be three and a half years in Australia he clearly ran into a spot of bother as after a promotion to corporal on 30th April 1840 he's then seen in prison between July & September 1840 after a trial on 33-31st July where he was reduced back to the rank of private.

In late March 1841 embarked for CALCUTTA, INDIA where another long sea voyage of three months saw him at Calcutta in late June 1841.

William Becket served in various places in India, such as Moulmein, Cawnpore where he was put back up to the rank of corporal. He also served at Punniar, Nuddyga, Allygurh, Rajpoora, Loodiana, Mullawalla and finally at SOBRAON where he was Killed in Action on 10th February 1846.

This is an exceptionally good & historically important medal in AEF condition.

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