Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria, to include the Brian Ritchie Collection (Part I)

The Army Gold Medal awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel George Gall, Commanding the Governor-General’s Bodyguard at the capture of Java where he was twice wounded

Field Officers’ Gold Medal, the reverse inscribed ‘JAVA’ (Captn. G. H. Gall, Commanding Governor General’s Body Guard) complete with three-pronged gold ribbon buckle, both glass lunettes sometime expertly replaced, otherwise nearly extremely fine and unique to this regiment
£5000-6000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Brian Ritchie Collection of H.E.I.C. and British India Medals.

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Ex Lord Cheylesmore 1930.

George Herbert Gall, the son of Lawrence Gall and his wife Sophia, was born at Farrukhabad, Upper Provinces, on 7 February 1779. He was nominated a Cadet in the Bengal Cavalry in 1795 and arrived in India on 8 March 1797. Posted Cornet in the 3rd Native Cavalry, he marched with his regiment from its cantonment at Moneah, Bahar, in 1798, to join on the grand army assembling under General Sir James Craig on the northern frontier of British possessions. He took part in the advance of Craig’s army to Anoopsheher to oppose the Afghan Amir Zemaun Shaw, but the latter ‘declined the contest’ and the army returned to its cantonments in several columns. At the conclusion of the operation Gall was transferred to the 1st Native Cavalry at Futtehgurh and promoted Lieutenant on 23 June 1799. Later the same year he crossed the Ganges with his corps into Rohilcund as part of Major-General R. Stuart’s division. On his return to Futtehgurh, Gall’s troop and one other from the 1st N.C., together with some infantry and an artillery detachment, were selected to accompany Colonel Collins, the British Resident at the court of Doulat Rao Scindia, to the court of the Rajah of Jaipur. The whole escort was commanded by Captain Thomas Brown, whilst Gall commanded the cavalry.

The mission, which involved Gall in some political work in addition to his military duties, resulted in the seizure of Saadut Ali Khan, the last Nawab Vizier of Oudh, despite the presence of a large force of Scindia’s troops commanded by the French adventurer General Pierre Cuillier Perron encamped under the walls of the city. Brown and his brother officers were officially thanked by Collins and the Governor-General, Richard, Marquess of Wellesley (formerly Lord Mornington), to whose Body Guard Gall was appointed as a result. On 1 September 1802, he became Adjutant and Quartermaster.

In 1803 he obtained leave to serve in operations under Lord Lake in the Jumna Doab (The Mud War), and was present at the siege of Sansi, the capture of Bajiaigarh and the fall Kachaura, where a horse was killed under him and another severely wounded. Gall returned from the Doab bearing with him a letter from Lake to Wellesley ‘expressive of the Gen.’s approbation of Lieut. G.’s conduct’. During the Second Mahratta War, Adjutant Gall served with the Governor-General’s Body Guard in the Hindustan Campaign, with General Martindell’s army of observation which covered the first siege of Bhurtpoor. Having been promoted Captain on 11 March 1805, he was appointed Aide-de-Camp to the Governor-General, Sir George Barlow, Bart. In 1806 he succeeded to the command of the Body Guard and, on the occasion of a visit by Barlow’s successor, Lord Minto, to Fort St. George, Madras, Gall and the whole of the Body Guard accompanied him as marines on board the Company’s Ship General Stuart in case of attack by French frigates operating in the Bay of Bengal.

In August 1811 Gall volunteered to serve in the expedition to Java and was followed in his example by every officer, non-commissioned officer and trooper of the Governor-General’s Body Guard. Having landed with Auchmuty’s 1st Division at Chillinching on 4 August, the corps advanced with Gillespie’s brigade to Tanjan Priok and next day took possession of the city of Batavia from the retreating enemy forces, who fell back to their entrenched camp at Meester Cornelis. On 10 August the 20,000-strong army under the French General Jansens was engaged at Weltervreeden and driven back into its prepared positions on the heights of Cornelis with the loss of 500 men. At Weltervreeden, Gall commanded a reserve, consisting of the Body Guard, dismounted men of the 22nd Dragoons and artillery, and afterwards received the the approbation of the Commander-in-Chief on account of their steady conduct. On the morning of the 26th Gall was wounded in the successful assault of Meester Cornelis which effectively secured the island for the Calcutta Government. Immediately after the capture of the redoubts, Gall was ordered to join a force under Major-General Gibbs with whom he marched all night to surprise the enemy at Buitenzorg. On arrival at that place Gall went forward and summoned the surender which was accordingly delivered up. In the island campaign Gall was twice wounded (a slight contusion on the right side, and a severe wound across an eye), and was awarded one of the twenty-seven Army Small Gold Medals given by Prince Regent for the Capture of Java.

The next Governor-General, Lord Moira, ‘was pleased to continue Capt. Gall in command of the body-guard’, and added an extra squadron to the corps. The Body Guard accompanied Moira on a grand military tour of the Upper Provinces in 1814-15, the conclusion of which coincided with success in the Nepal War. In recognition of Moira’s victory over the Gurkhas, he was later created Marquess of Hastings which confused some Indians who thought he was a reincarnation of Warren Hastings. In 1817 Gall was granted six months on sick leave at the Cape while being permitted to retain the command of the Body Guard. Granted six months’ extension of leave in July, 1817, another of six months on 17 February 1818, he finally sailed for England with his wife and family on board the Hon. Company’s Ship Winchelsea, vacating the command of the G.G.’s B.G. in June 1818. He was promoted Major on 1 September following.

On his return to India in 1821 he was posted to the 8th Bengal Light Cavalry, which he commanded, following promotion to Lieutenant-Colonel in May 1824, at the siege and capture of Bhurtpoor in January 1826, when he had occasion to congratulate one of his subalterns, Lieutenant George Barbor (qv), on apprehending the usurper Doojan Sal as he tried to flee the city with a number of his followers. In addition to his other appointments, Gall held the following posts during his Indian service: Aide-de-Camp and private secretary to the Vice-president in Council, Peter Speke, Esq; secretary to the Board of Superintendence for the improvement of cattle in India; second Member of that Board; and superintending officer of the Calcutta Militia. Colonel Gall, who married Ann, the daughter of J. Wilkinson of Portman Square, London, died at Calcutta in 1826.

Ref: Hodson Index (NAM); East India Military Calendar; Officers of the Bengal Army 1758-1834; Historical Records of the Governor-General’s Body Guard.