Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Indian Mutiny 1857-59, no clasp (Captn. W. B. Legard. 31st. Regt. N.I.) nearly extremely fine £600-£800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals from a Mutiny Collection.

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Provenance: George McIlroy Collection.

William Barnabas Legard was born at Ganton, Yorkshire, on 27 December 1809, the son of the Reverend William Legard, Vicar of Ganton, and was commissioned Ensign on 18 June 1828. Posted to the 30th Bengal Native Infantry, he exchanged to the 31st Bengal Native Infantry on 12 August 1830, and served in the action against the Chuars in 1832. Promoted Lieutenant on 1 June 1834, he saw further action against the Kols in 1837-38, and then took part in the First Afghan War, being present at the Capture of Ghazni (Medal) and the Capture of Kelat. Promoted Captain on 2 February 1845, he saw further action in the Second Sikh War, being present at the action at Sadulpur, the Battles of Chilianwala and Goojerat, and the pursuit of the Sikhs and Afghans to Peshwar (Medal and two clasps). He took part in the operations against the Kohat Pass Afridis in February 1850, and subsequently helped suppress the Santal Revolt of 1855.

Legard served with the 31st Bengal Native Infantry in Saugor District during the Great Sepoy Mutiny, and was promoted Major on 20 June 1858. The Revolt in Central lndia, by R. G. Burton gives the following account:
‘On 18 July a company of the 31st, with two Europeans officers, was sent from Saugor to Bencika. On 21 July the rebels from Bencika, having been reinforced from Shahgarh, advanced with one gun to attack this detachment, but they were repulsed and their gun was captured. The rajah sent a message on 25 July to say that he would give up the European prisoners from Lalitpur, and the detachment moved out to receive them, but was treacherously fired on. He then sent word that he would exchange them for the gun, but this was evidently false; and as Major Legard, who commanded the detachment, was not strong enough to attack the rebels, he withdrew to Saugor, taking the captured gun.
The two companies of the 31st, with two guns which they manned, and some eighty of the 3rd Irregular Cavalry, as well as two companies of the 42nd, remained at Damoh, and had several engagements with the rebels, killing some fifty men in one fight.’

Legard remained on duty at Saugor, and on 27 August attacked a party of the rebels assembled at Sumrskoh, about five miles from Sunodah; one man was killed and his head sent into Saugor. He was advanced Lieutenant-Colonel on 31 December 1861, and died at Shalford, Surrey, on 27 January 1890.

Sold with copied research including a photographic image of a portrait of the recipient.