Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Major-General C. B. Young, Bengal Engineers

Maharajpoor Star 1843 (1st Lieutenant C. B. Young Sappers and Miners) with original brass hook suspension; Punjab 1848-49, 2 clasps, Chilianwala, Goojerat (Lieut. C. B. Young. Engineers); India General Service 1854-94, 1 clasp, Pegu (Bt. Captn. C. B. Young. Enginrs.) polished overall, otherwise nearly very fine (3) £1200-1500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of Medals formed by the late Tim Ash.

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Charles Becher Young was born at Fort William, Calcutta, on 18 January 1816. Educated privately, he attended the East India Military Seminary, Addiscombe, July 1834, and the Royal Engineers Establishment, Chatham, July to November 1836. He arrived at Fort William, Calcutta, in October 1837 to take up his appointment as a Second Lieutenant in the Bengal Sappers and Miners. He served in command of a detachment of Sappers and Miners, with the Jhansi Field Force, against the Fort of Jhansi which surrendered on 23 January 1839, and as Adjutant of Sappers in the Joudhpore campaign in August 1839. Promoted to First Lieutenant in January 1841, he next saw service in the Gwalior campaign of 1843-44, and was present at the battle of Maharajpoor.

In the Punjab campaign of 1848-49, Lieutenant Young was in charge of the building of a bridge of boats at Ramnagar, by which means Gough’s force was able to cross the River Chenab to join Thackwell’s force and thereby engage the Sikh Army at the battle of Chilianwala on 22 January. During this action Lieutenant Young served as Aide de Camp to Sir Joseph Thackwell and was mentioned in his despatch accordingly. The battle of Goojerat took place on 21 February but it offered little opportunity for the engineers. ‘This fight,’ wrote Lieutenant Taylor of the Bengal Engineers, ‘will stand upon record as the most extraordinary engagement we have fought in India. It was nothing but a cannonade and not more than four regiments engaged ever fired a shot, yet the overthrow was most complete. We made no charges, but brought a heavy fire of artillery on the enemy, and in one hour the result of the action was decided.’

Young served as a Brevet Captain during the Burmese war of 1852-53, including the capture of Prome on 9 October 1852. He was the senior of the nine Bengal Engineer officers serving under Major H. Fraser during the campaign. He was confirmed as Captain in February 1854, and in 1856 submitted a Memorial for brevet promotion to the Court of Directors of the East India Company which outlined his service to the Company with various testimonials from senior officers, but without success. He became a Lieutenant-Colonel in January 1860, and Colonel in July 1862, and retired on full pay as Major-General on 1 September 1863. Major-General Charles Young died at Chiswick, London on 27 January 1892. Young was also an artist of some repute and two of his finest prints, dedicated to Lord Gough, of the Punjab Campaign of 1848-49, are held by the India Office Library.

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