A Defence of Lucknow and Egypt campaign group of four to Lieutenant-Colonel William Cleland, Royal Dublin Fusiliers

Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 2 clasps, Defence of Lucknow, Lucknow (Lieut. W. Cleland, 1st Madras Fusrs.); Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, dated reverse, no clasp (Lieut. Col. W. Cleland, 1/Rl. Dub. Fus.); Khedive’s Star 1882; Order of the Medjidie, 3rd class neck badge by Paul Stopin, Palais-Royal, silver, gold and enamel, crescent suspension chipped on the last, contact marks and pitting from the star, otherwise nearly very fine or better (4) £1400-1800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals from the Collection of Gordon Everson.

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William Cleland was born at Perth, Scotland, on 26 April 1818, and educated at Perth Academy. He was commissioned as an Ensign in the 1st Madras Fusiliers on 4 March 1857, and embarked the same day for India. He was actively engaged in the suppression of the mutiny in Bengal in 1857-58, and was present with Havelock’s Column in the actions of Futtehpore, Aoung, Pandoo, Nuddee, Cawnpore, Bithoor, Mungarwar, and Alumbagh, relief of Lucknow, and defence of the Residency, occupation of the Alumbagh under Outram, capture of Lucknow, and the campaign of 1858 in Oude. He was slightly wounded during the attack on the fort at Rehora on 23 November 1858.

During his passage home in 1859, Cleland compiled a journal of his experiences during the mutiny, much of which survives in transcript form today. Of the entry into Lucknow on 25 September 1857, he wrote: ‘The distance to the Residency was about three quarters of a mile through a narrow street, the houses on either side of which had two or three rows of loopholes, the street being cut by deep trenches too broad to leap, so that one was compelled to jump to the bottom and scramble up the other side. On the order to advance the 98th rushed through the gateway followed by the Sikhs, the rear being brought up by the Madras Fusiliers, but before the Residency gate was reached the three regiments were left as one. Two guns also were taken along with us, but were brought to a stand on reaching the first trench. Under such a storm of bullets it would have been certain death to anyone who remained stationary for a moment, the guns were consequently left in the street, and we pushed on to the Residency. Those who were wounded lay where they fell, and amongst them were several officers poor fellows. The greater number were massacred during the night by the enemy who issued from their houses for that purpose. It was here that General Neill fell. Having seen his Brigade all pass through the gateway headed by Generals Outram and Havelock, he prepared to follow. On passing through the gateway he was struck on the temple by a bullet which passed through his head and he fell dead to the ground. We reached the Residency gateway about 7 o’clock, were greeted with a cheer and the Residency was saved. Having scrambled over the parapet and gained the interior we were met by numbers of the Garrison who attacked us eagerly with questions concerning Cawnpore. An officer came up to me who I subsequently learned was a doctor, he asked me eagerly who were saved at Cawnpore, and on my telling him all were massacred, he ejaculated “Oh God, my wife and child,” and left me.’

Cleland was promoted to Captain on 8 July 1867, became Major on 1 September 1877, and Lieutenant-Colonel on 1 July 1881. Returning home from a visit to Australia in 1882, Cleland found himself in Egypt at the time of the uprising by Arabi Pasha, and immediately offered his services. He was appointed Chief of Police in Alexandria, a duty which he carried out with an iron rule; ‘Every other day, under the superintendence of Col. Cleland, Chief of Police, Arabs who had been found guilty of the murder of Europeans were executed...’ He was mentioned in despatches for his services and awarded the 3rd Class of the Medjidie.

Cleland was appointed to the command of the 1st Battalion, Royal Dublin Fusiliers, on 7 June 1884, and became Colonel on 1 July 1885. He relinquished command of the Battalion on 1 July 1887, and went on Half Pay, finally retiring from the Army on 15 April 1888. After an active life as a bachelor, Cleland married in July 1895, and had one child. He died at Overton, Flintshire, on 14 June 1909. Sold with a very large quantity of research including many transcripts of his letters home and reminiscences during the mutiny.