Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Major H. A. Cooper, 1st Sikhs, who was mentioned in despatches for the relief of Pekin, men of the 1st Sikhs being among the first to enter the Legation compound with General Gasalee

India General Service 1854-95, 2 clasps, Hazara 1888, Waziristan 1894-5 (Lieutt. H. A. Cooper 4th Punjab Infy.); India General Service 1895-1902, 1 clasp, Punjab Frontier 1897-98 (Captn: H. A. Cooper. 1st Sikh Infy.); China 1900, 1 clasp, Relief of Pekin (Captn: H. A. Cooper. 1st Sikh Infy:) minor edge bruising, otherwise nearly extremely fine (3) £900-£1,100

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

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Henry Ashley Cooper was born on 15 July 1867, and was first commissioned into the 1st Manchester Regiment on 29 August 1885. By January 1887 he was serving with the 2nd Battalion at Agra, and on 22 May transferred to the Indian Army. He was attached to the 4th Punjabis during the Hazara campaign of 1888, taking part in the action at Kotkai (Medal with clasp). He was appointed Wing Officer and Quartermaster in the 1st Sikhs, 22 October 1888, and was attached to the 4th Punjabis as officiating Wing Officer during the 1st Miranzi Expedition Expedition (no clasp awarded). He served with the 1st Sikhs in Waziristan 1894-95, as part of the Bannu Column commanded by Egerton, operating against Razmak and Makin, 18-22 December, prior to punitive operations against nearby villages, centred on Jandola, 9-21 January 1895 (Clasp). He served in the Tochi campaign during the operations on the Punjab Frontier 1897-98 (Medal with clasp), and was on Plague Duty in Bombay during 1899. He served with the 1st Sikhs in China 1900 and the relief of Pekin on 14 August 1900, when General Gaslee with 70 men of the 1st Sikhs and 7th Bengal Infantry were the first allied troops to enter the Legations compound. On the following day Cooper was appointed Double Company Commander (Despatches London Gazette 14 May 1901, medal with clasp). Cooper was on 1 year’s leave out of India from 27 August 1901, and was promoted to Major on 20 August 1903. He died intestate at Fyzabad on 5 January 1907, aged 39.