Four: Private H. Fulcher, King’s Royal Rifle Corps

India General Service 1854-95, 2 clasps, Hazara 1891, Samana 1891 (5329 Pte. H. Fulcher 1st. Bn. K.R. Rif.C.); India General Service 1895-1902, 1 clasp, Relief of Chitral 1895 (5329. Pte. H. Fulcher 1st. Bn. K.R. Rifle Corps.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 6 clasps, Cape Colony, Tugela Heights, Orange Free State, Relief of Ladysmith, Laing’s Nek, Belfast (5329 Pte. H. Fulcher, K.R.R.C.); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (5329 Pte. H. Fulcher. K.R.R.C.) contact marks, nearly very fine (4) £400-£500

Henry Fulcher was born in Marylebone, London, around 1870, and attested for the King’s Royal Rifle Corps at Winchester on 20 July 1889. A sawyer by trade, he served in India from 25 November 1890 to 31 January 1897; departing Aldershot with the 1st Battalion in H.M.S. Crocodile, Fulcher served in operations against the Bunerwal tribe in the spring of 1891, joining his Regiment on the long march from Rawalpindi to Durband as part of the Hazara Field Force. Placed under the Command of Brigadier-General Sir William Lockhart, the 1st King’s Royal Rifle Corps then joined No. 1 Column from their base at Hangu and participated in the Miranzai Expedition of 1891. Here they participated in the storming and capture of the fortified villages of Tsalai and Sangar, followed by five more small settlements; moving from village to village, the riflemen and Gurkhas killed over 300 tribesmen, set fire to the defensive stockades and spoiled any crops.

Attached to the Isazai Expedition of September 1892 and part of the Chitral Relief Force in 1895, the Battalion later highly distinguished itself at the storming of the Malakand Pass on 3 April 1895 against 12,000 local tribesmen. This was repeated in the action at Khar the following day. Returned home to England and placed in Army Reserve, Fulcher was recalled to the Colours in November 1899 and served in South Africa from 13 December 1899; posted to the 1st Battalion from 1 March 1900, he took part in the Relief of Ladysmith and was present at the Battle of Bergandal from 21 to 27 August 1900 which breached the Boer lines of defence and facilitated Buller’s march on Machadodorp. Witnessing the next phase of guerilla warfare, Fulcher finally departed for England on 15 July 1902 upon the signing of the Treaty of Vereeniging, being discharged a short while later.

Sold with copied service record.