Orders, Decorations and Medals Including five Special Collections

The Punjab and Indian Mutiny campaign pair to Captain R. F. Thonger, 9th Lancers, late Regimental Sergeant-Major

Punjab 1848-49, 2 clasps, Chilianwala, Goojerat (Serjt. R. F. Thonger, 9th Lancers); Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 3 clasps, Delhi, Relief of Lucknow, Lucknow (Lt. & Adjt. R. F. Thonger, 9th Lancers) rivets poor and clasps mounted in reverse order on this, both medals fitted with silver ribbon buckles and contained in a contemporary fitted case for three medals, the lid gold-embossed ‘R. Freer Thonger, IXth Lancers’, the first with severe edge bruising and contact marks, the second with light contact marks, otherwise better than very fine (2) £1200-1500

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

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Richard Freer Thonger was born at Boston, Lincolnshire, on 1 June 1819. He joined the army on 25 February 1841, and served in the ranks of the 9th Lancers in the Sutlej campaign of 1845-46 and was present at the battle of Sobraon (Medal). He served in the Punjab campaign of 1848-49, including the action at Ramnuggur, passage of the Chenab, and battles of Chilianwala and Goojerat (Medal and two clasps). At the outbreak of the Indian Mutiny, Thonger was serving as Regimental Sergeant-Major of the 9th Lancers, and was commissioned as Ensign on 17 June 1857. He served throughout the suppression of the mutiny, including the battle of Budlekeserai, the siege, assault and capture of Delhi, and commanded a Troop of the 9th Lancers with Greathead’s column in the action of Bolundshuhur, where he was wounded by a bayonet in the left arm in a personal encounter, Allyghur, Agra, and Kanouje; present at the relief of the garrison of Lucknow by Lord Clyde, battle of Cawnpore on 6th December, actions at Seraighat and Khudargunge, siege and capture of Lucknow, the Summer campaign in Oude and Rohilcund, and actions at Rhodamow and Allygunge, Bareilly, and Shahjehanpore, with pursuit to Mohundee, and passage of the Gogra at Fyzabad, operations on the Nepaulese frontier and affairs at Mutchleegoan and Kumdikoi (Medal with three Clasps). Thonger was promoted Lieutenant and Adjutant on 13 July 1858, and became Captain on 23 June 1865, retiring on the same date. It is believed that Thonger subsequently obtained employment with the Duke of Manchester at Kimbolton, as Steward or Land Agent. He died at Woodbridge, Suffolk, on 8 January 1906. There is no record of the survival of his missing Sutlej medal. Sold with some recent family correspondence and an original photograph of Thonger taken circa 1900.