The First Burma War and Gwalior campaign pair awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel J. H. McDonald, Bengal Artillery, later Commandant of the 1st (South London) Rifle Volunteers

Army of India 1799-1826, 1 clasp, Ava (1st Lieut., Artillery) short hyphen reverse, officially impressed naming; Maharajpoor Star 1843 (Dy. Afst. Adjt. Genl., Captn. 1st Compy. 4th Bn. Artillery) fitted with contemporary silver bar suspension, both medals fitted with silver ribbon buckles, the first with pitting and contact marks from the star, otherwise nearly very fine or better (2) £900-1200

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Military Awards from the Collection of John Tamplin.

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James Horsburgh McDonald was born at Elie, Co. Fife, on 2 February 1806, and educated at the Parish School of Elie. He was nominated for a Cadetship in the H.E.I.C. by Jacob Bosanquet, a Director of the Company, on the recommendation of Captain Horsburgh, and was a Cadet at Addiscombe in 1821-22.

McDonald was granted a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Bengal Artillery on 10 May 1822, and arrived in India on 3 January 1823. He served during the Burma war of 1824-26 in 4 Company, 5 Battalion, Bengal Foot Artillery, and officiated as Adjutant of Artillery Details at Rangoon from 12 February 1825. He was promoted Lieutenant on 30 December 1825, and returned to Bengal on 3 months Sick Certificate in February 1826.

In 1831, McDonald was involved in the Wahabi Rising and was present on 19 November at the defeat and dispersal of the Wahabi fanatics at Barasat, near Calcutta, on which occasion he had charge of the guns. He was promoted Brevet Captain on 10 May 1837, and Captain on 18 March 1840. On 18 November 1843, he was appointed Deputy Assistant Adjutant General of Artillery on the Divisional Staff of the Army of Exercise, and as a result took part in the Gwalior campaign, being present at the battle of Maharajpoor on 29 December 1843. He was mentioned in the despatch of General Sir Hugh Gough, Bart., G.C.B., dated ‘Head-Quarters, Camp, before Gwalior, Jan. 4’, and published in the London Gazette of 8 March 1844. In addition to receiving the star for this battle, he was also promoted Brevet Major on 30 April 1844.

Brevet Major McDonald retired on 1 May 1846, and was subsequently promoted Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel on 28 November 1854. He then lived in South London at Herne Hill, and became a J.P. for County Surrey. On the formation of the Volunteers in 1859, he soon joined his local Corps, and on 24 May 1860 he was appointed Major of the 1st (South London) Rifle Volunteers. A month later he was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant and he remained as such until his death 12 years later. It is of interest that the Honorary Colonel of the 1st (South London) R.V. (which later became the 1st Surrey Volunteer Rifle Corps) was General Sir George Pollock, G.C.B., G.C.S.I., whom McDonald would have known as a Bengal Gunner in India. Lieutenant-Colonel J. H. McDonald, J.P., died on 7 May 1872 at his home in Herne Hill, aged 66. Sold with a good amount of additional research including a copy portrait photograph and copied extracts from the Illustrated London News concerning the 1st Surrey Volunteer Rifle Corps.