A rare and superb Victorian pair to a combatant Medical Doctor.
INDIAN MUTINY MEDAL (Delhi) AFGANISTAN MEDAL (Armed Khel)
Pair to a Medical Doctor.
Mutiny, Officially Impressed to: ASSt, SURGn. W.S. WHYLOCK. 75th REGt. Afganistan, Officially Engraved in correct style block capitals.
To: SURGn. MAJr. W.(Watkin) S. WHYLOCK. A.M.D. (Army Medical Department)
"Dr W.S. Whylock served with the 75th Regiment at the Seige of Delhi and at The Battle of Budleekeserai where he himself took part in hand to hand action and killed two of the enemy, one in close combat (apparently with his sword during the bayonet charge and storming of the sand bag battery by the 75th Regt) and thereby saved the life of a soldier of The European Regiment.(Medal with Clasp) He was Sanitary and Senior Medical Officer of the Derbund Field Force of the Hazara Campaign of 1868. Served in the Afgan War of 1878-80. Was Senior Medical Officer in Brigade General Biddulph's advance on Quetta, and was present at the surrender of Candahar, and was principle Medical Officer under Lt General Hughes in the advance on Ghuzni, and afterwards to Major General Hill's Division. Present at the engagement at Ahmed Kheyl and some minor affairs". ( Medal with Clasp)
INDIAN MUTINY
(Battle of Budleekeserai)
June 8th 1857
The 2nd Bengal European Fusiliers was under the orders of Brigadier Graves.
"As dawn broke,the enemy's camp-fires were visible ; but when Showers deployed his brigade into line, Grant's column was not yet in sight,and the rebels opened a heavy cannonade on our advancing troops. Barnard's guns at once came into action, Kaye in the centre, Money and Scott on his right and left, but they were unable to silence the enemy's well-sheltered artillery. Men began to fall ; Kaye's bullock-drivers ran away and one of his waggons wasblown up. Barnard then ordered a bayonet charge, and the 75th Foot, supported by the 1st Europeans, stormed the sandbag battery. then Graves' Brigade, which had had to march round a jheel, threatened the rebel right and Tomb's Troop came into action on their left flank. The enemy then fled, leaving their guns and their camp in our possession ; but the most important work of the day was yet to be done.
SEIZURE OF THE RIDGE.- pressing on his pursuit, Barnard reached a point four miles from Delhi where a road, branching to the left from the Grand Trunk Road, led direct to the Delhi Cantonments ; following this road himself with Graves' Brigade, a squadron of the 9th Lancers, and 2/3 Ben.H.A., he sent Brigadier Wilson with Showers' Brigade and the rest of the cavalry and artillery along the Grand Trunk Road to the Subzi Mundi, while the Sirmur Battalion kept up connection between the two columns. On reaching the Najafghur Canal Barnard found the bridge only partially destroyed, but when the guns crossed they came under the accurate fire of three of the enemy's guns posted at the Flagstaff Tower. Money, however, galloping forward quickly silenced them and they were forthwith taken by the 60th Rifles and the 2nd Europeans.(...)"
A somewhat sobering incident took place during that fight, and was recorded by Major-General James Thomas Harris in 'China Jim', incidents and adventures in the life of an Indian mutiny veteran" :
"Before we went into action I had been extremely nervous as to what my behaviour would be in this my first fight. Let me say, then, that I found it most delightful, and I think I may add that, as long as one is advancing in line against anything in the world, as long as one can advance, fighting is a pleasure to the majority of soldiers.
I felt very much relieved at my total lack of "nerves", and looked forward to more fighting. The man next to me in my company, a private of the name of Alpin, got a round shot which took off his leg. It did not upset me at all.
My pay-sergeant, Donovan, got another round shot which took off his right arm high up at the shoulder, and the arm caught the adjutant, Coghill, right in the face.
This incident, which, when remembered in cold blood, is sufficiently horrible, seemed to me at the moment to be very amusing.
The place where we had been fighting was called Bad-li-ke-serai."
A lovely, very rare and highly unusual medical pair to a combatant doctor who himself, 'had a go'
Both medals are About Mint State with original blue gold tone and colour on original ribbons and fitted in a Victorian hand made specialist 'double case' lined with red velvet.
Surgeon Whylock arrived in Madras (with his wife) aboard the "SS MALABAR" (Captain E. Noakes) on 4th June 1853 having left London circa 14th February. The ship called at Portsmouth on 15th February and The Cape on 22nd April.
£-SOLD-