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

A scarce American War of 1812 and Burmese War campaign pair to Sergeant William Craig, 89th Foot, wounded at Lundy’s Lane in 1814

(a) Military General Service 1793-1814, 1 clasp, Chrystler's Farm (W. Craigh, Serjt. 89th Foot)

(b) Army of India 1799-1826, 1 clasp, Ava (Serjt. W. Craig, 89th Foot) short hyphen reverse, officially impressed naming, professionally cleaned, minor edge bruising and handling marks, otherwise nearly extremely fine
£4000-5000

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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Collection

This pair offered by Spink in 1896 and again in 1976.

Only 20 such pairs issued with this combination of clasps, all to the 89th Foot, of which five pairs have been recorded on the market.

William Craig was born at Westmeath and attested for H.M’s 89th Regiment of Foot at nineteen years of age on 20 May 1812. A weaver by trade, Craig was promoted to Corporal almost immediately on 6 June 1812. In November 1813, he was present in Lower Canada with the 800-strong British Corps of Observation which repulsed 3,000 Americans under Major-General Boyd at Chrystler’s Farm. Continuing in Canada, he was present on 25 July 1814 at the Battle of Lundy’s Lane, near Niagra Falls, where he received a gunshot wound to the arm. He was promoted Sergeant on 25 January 1816 and retained that rank until his discharge in March 1818. Craig re-enlisted in the H.M’s 89th as a Private on 25 October 1820, and in June of the following year landed in India. He was advanced to the rank of Corporal in September 1821 and regained his third stripe in December 1824. Having served in the First Burma War, he was discharged in November 1834 due to ‘disease and disability’ which, according to the surgeon’s report, was ‘contracted in the Service, without being attributable to neglect, design, vice, or intemperance’. His discharge papers confirm that he served ‘Ten years and fifty two days in the East Indies, two years and ten months in North America, the remainder at Home - Was present in the Action at Chrystler’s Farm on 11th Novr. 1813, and at Lundy’s Lane, near the Falls of Niagara, on 25th July 1814, at which latter place he received a Gunshot wound in the arm.’

Ref: WO 97/979.