Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Major James Harrison, Rocket Troop, Madras Horse Artillery

Military General Service 1793-1814, 1 clasp, Java (James Harrison, Lieut. Madras H. Arty.); Army of India 1799-1826, 1 clasp, Maheidpoor (Lieutt. J. Harrison. H. Arty.) long hyphen reverse, officially engraved naming, toned good very fine and rare (2) £3,000-£3,600

Only 7 clasps for Java issued to H.E.I.C. Artillery, Harrison being the only Madras officer. Only 13 clasps for Maheidpoor to the Madras Artillery, including three officers, Harrison being the only officer of the Rocket Troop to receive this clasp.

James Harrison was a Cadet on the Madras Establishment of 1806, and was gazetted Ensign in the Madras Horse Artillery on 16 February 1808, becoming a Lieutenant on the following day. He was promoted to Captain on 1 September 1818, and Major on 5 July 1829. He retired to England on 1 May 1833.

Harrison served with Captain Henry T. Rudyerd’s ‘A’ Troop Madras Horse Artillery at the capture of Java, and with the Rocket Troop of the Light Artillery Brigade, commanded by the same officer, at the battle of Maheidpore, of whose service the despatches noted:

‘The conduct of the light artillery brigade under the command, of Captain Rudyerd, covered by the rocket troop, was such only as the Commander-in-Chief expected; but His Excellency could not fail to be particularly struck by the admirable coolness and steadiness, with which the battery passed the river, and took up its position within point blank shot of the enemy’s guns, and to its well directed fire and promptness in opening it too much praise cannot be given. His Excellency laments that this valuable corps should unavoidably have sustained so severe a cannonade, by which, at one time, the whole of its guns were disabled.’

Of the effectiveness of the Rocket Troop itself, however, the Official History notes: ‘The light brigade also suffered severely, as it was for some time exposed to fire, while the greater part of the missiles which the Rocket Troop attempted to discharge at the enemy, expended themselves or burst among the men of the light brigade, causing as much confusion as the enemy’s fire.’