A Rare & Desirable
“ALIWAL CHARGER”
Sutlej Medal
SOBRAON
( Aliwal Reverse)
& Maharajpoor Star 1843
To:
WILLIAM PARRY 16th LANCERS
(Sutlej Officially Impressed, Star Unnamed as Issued)
THE CHARGE of the 16th LANCERS,ALIWAL]
“28th January 1846”
The 40,000 Sikh infantry massed against Smith’s 10,000 men at Aliwal covered a frontage of about two miles connecting the villages of Aliwal and Bundri. They were supported by 37 pieces of artillery and flanked by cavalry. In the initial stages of the battle Smith’s forces advanced and took Aliwal.
The capture of Aliwal meant the loss of the Sikhs’ best ford across the Sutlej, they therefore had to recapture it and attempted to do so with a body of 1000 cavalry. Smith saw this threat and immediately dispatched a squadron of 16th Lancers and a squadron of the 3rd Bengal Light Cavalry.
The 3rd failed to charge while the squadron of the 16th Lancers under Captain Bere did so, and routed 1000 Sikh cavalry, (Over ten times their number!)
Aliwal was not lost but the cost to the 16th Lancers was the loss of 42 of the 100 men who charged. Smith’s main body continued to be harried by the Sikh guns; he therefore ordered the main body of the 16th under their Commanding Officer, Major Rowland Smyth, to take the guns.
Smyth led his two squadrons in a headlong charge against the guns that continued to fire until the moment they were overrun. The momentum of the Regiment was so great that they charged past the guns and were faced by the massed squares of the Sikh infantry.
Smyth realised that to pull up and retire would enable the Sikh infantry to lay a withering fire in his rear, he therefore spurred his horse, jumping into the centre of the first square and charging on through. Naturally the men of the 16th followed their Commanding Officer and charged head on into the square.
“We had to charge a square of infantry – at them we went, the bullets flying round like a hailstorm.” (Sergeant Gould).
An Excellent and Ultra Desirable “16th Lancers Aliwal Charger” medal which is sure to appeal to the keen collector of awards to men who took part in classic actions and particularly those to cavalrymen.
Both Medals are in AEF condition and are totally original with light contact marks .
£2150
(NOTE, On our other classic Charger medals)
Also see our Crimea medal group to an 8th Hussars Light Brigade Charger & a Sudan pair to a 21st Lancer who Charged at Omdurman.
THE CHARGE of the 16th LANCERS,ALIWAL]
“28th January 1846”
The 40,000 Sikh infantry massed against Smith’s 10,000 men at Aliwal covered a frontage of about two miles connecting the villages of Aliwal and Bundri. They were supported by 37 pieces of artillery and flanked by cavalry. In the initial stages of the battle Smith’s forces advanced and took Aliwal.
The capture of Aliwal meant the loss of the Sikhs’ best ford across the Sutlej, they therefore had to recapture it and attempted to do so with a body of 1000 cavalry. Smith saw this threat and immediately dispatched a squadron of 16th Lancers and a squadron of the 3rd Bengal Light Cavalry.
The 3rd failed to charge while the squadron of the 16th Lancers under Captain Bere did so, and routed 1000 Sikh cavalry, (Over ten times their number!)
Aliwal was not lost but the cost to the 16th Lancers was the loss of 42 of the 100 men who charged. Smith’s main body continued to be harried by the Sikh guns; he therefore ordered the main body of the 16th under their Commanding Officer, Major Rowland Smyth, to take the guns.
Smyth led his two squadrons in a headlong charge against the guns that continued to fire until the moment they were overrun. The momentum of the Regiment was so great that they charged past the guns and were faced by the massed squares of the Sikh infantry.
Smyth realised that to pull up and retire would enable the Sikh infantry to lay a withering fire in his rear, he therefore spurred his horse, jumping into the centre of the first square and charging on through. Naturally the men of the 16th followed their Commanding Officer and charged head on into the square.
“We had to charge a square of infantry – at them we went, the bullets flying round like a hailstorm.” (Sergeant Gould).
An Excellent and Ultra Desirable “16th Lancers Aliwal Charger” medal which is sure to appeal to the keen collector of awards to men who took part in classic actions and particularly those to cavalrymen.
Both Medals are in AEF condition and are totally original with light contact marks .
£2150
(NOTE, On our other classic Charger medals)
Also see our Crimea medal group to an 8th Hussars Light Brigade Charger & a Sudan pair to a 21st Lancer who Charged at Omdurman.