Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Five: Colour Sergeant A. Hay, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, late Cameron Highlanders and Royal Navy

Crimea 1854-56, 1 clasp, Sebastopol (A. Hay, H.M.S. Simoom) engraved naming; Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 1 clasp, Lucknow (Andw. Hay, 79th Highlanders); India General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, North West Frontier (35 L-Corpl. Andrew Hay, 79 Ft.); Army Meritorious Service Medal, V.R. (Sejt. A. Hay, late 1 R. Welsh Fus.); Turkish Crimea 1855, British issue (A. Hay, H.M.S. Simoom) engraved naming, with IGS-style scroll suspension, all housed in a fitted leather case, some contact marks and edge bruising, nearly very fine and better (5) £1,800-£2,200

Provenance: Dix Noonan Webb, July 2010.

Andrew Hay was born at Gladsmuir, Scotland, on 14 February 1836 and entered the Royal Navy as a Boy First Class on 8 February 1854. He served aboard the troopship H.M.S. Simoom at Portsmouth and later served in the frigate H.M.S. Wasp. He was with the Naval Brigade at Balaklava and served in the trenches before Sebastopol. On returning home he enlisted into the 79th Foot in which his elder brother, Robert served. With the 79th he proceeded to India.

His service outlined above is recorded in several publications. His papers indicate an alternative story. They show that he was entered on the books of the Simoom from 8 February 1854 until 25 September 1855, on which date his records were marked with ‘R’ for ‘Run’ or ‘Deserted’. Additionally on the Simoom medal roll it states, ‘R 25/9/55 Application for medals to be granted refused’. His army attestation papers indicate a different date and place of birth and make no mention of his Naval service. If he had run from the Simoom, then a rather anxious episode would soon have followed; for the newly recruited soldier of the 79th Foot would have been shipped out to India on none other than his former ship, the Simoom!

In any event, he served in India with the 79th Foot, August 1857 to May 1883. Serving in the suppression of the Indian Mutiny, he took part in the engagement at Secundragunge, the siege and capture of Lucknow, the actions at Rooyah, Allygunge, Bareilly and Shahjehanpore, the capture of Mahomdie, the storming of Rampore Kussia and the passage of the Gogra - being slightly wounded in the latter action (not listed as such in the published casualty roll). Afterwards he continued to serve with his regiment on the North West Frontier and took part in the expedition under Brevet Colonel A. F. Macdonell, December 1863 to January 1864. Appointed a Colour Sergeant in 1868, he was transferred to the 103rd Foot in December 1869 and 92nd Highlanders in June 1870. In July 1870 he was transferred as a supernumerary to the 23rd Foot (Royal Welsh Fusiliers) and was appointed a Bazaar Sergeant. Discharged in 1883 at the termination of his second period of engagement, he was appointed a Park Ranger at King’s Park, Edinburgh, a post he held for 20 years. Hay was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal with an annuity of £10 on 3 June 1900. He died in 1922. Several members of his family also served in the 79th Foot (Cameron Highlanders).

With copied service papers and other research, including a copied photograph of the recipient in civilian dress wearing six medals - as above plus an Army L.S. & G.C. Medal.