Orders, Decorations and Medals

Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 2 clasps, Defence of Lucknow, Lucknow (Wm. Boden, 84th Regt.) very fine and scarce £750-850

Ex D.N.W. 28 March 2002.

William Boden was born in the Parish of Derrylorgan, near Cookstown, County Tyrone, and attested for the 84th Regiment at Belfast on 9 November 1840, aged 18. He sailed with the regiment to India and arrived at Madras in August 1842, being promoted to Corporal in March 1849 and to Sergeant in October 1853. He was court-martialled in October 1855 and sentenced to be reduced to Private, in which rank he served during the Indian Mutiny. The 84th’s services during the Mutiny are particularly unusual, with a small detachment massacred at Cawnpore, another small detachment being present in the original garrison at Lucknow, whilst the main body of the regiment took part in the first relief of Lucknow and subsequent defence of the city. A small number of men of the regiment were detached for service with Barrow’s Volunteer Cavalry during the first relief, among them William Boden. He was employed with the European Volunteer Cavalry from September 1857, continuously until November 1858, after which he is shown as being at Lucknow until February 1859, the only man of the 84th still there. He was promoted to Corporal in March 1859 and then rejoined his regiment for the passage home to England, arriving there in September 1859. He was promoted Sergeant in March 1860, and discharged at Aldershot on 27 January 1862, due to loss of vision in his left eye, and entitled to reckon 1 years’ additional service towards pay and pension for Lucknow. With copied service papers and other research.