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

The Ghuznee medal to Lieutenant-Colonel R. A. Thomas, 48th Bengal Infantry, who was awarded the 3rd Class of the Dooranee Empire for his services at the capture of the Fortress

Ghuznee 1839 (Major R. A. Thomas, 48th Regt. Bengal Infry.) contemporary engraved naming in the reverse field, fitted with original suspension and ribbon, good very fine
£600-700

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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Robert Arding Thomas was the son of Robert Thomas, M.D., of Salisbury, and was born in Bristol on 2 March 1789. He was nominated for the Bengal Service by Sir Thomas Metcalf, Bart., and became a Cadet in 1804. He arrived in India on 10 September 1805, was appointed Ensign on the 27th of that month, and in 1806, he was posted Lieutenant to the 24th Native Infantry. After a generous three year furlough, commencing in 1811, he returned to duty in 1814 to serve his regiment’s 1st Battalion, with whom he took part in the Third Mahratta (Pindarry) War of 1817-19, and for which service he was awarded a share of the Deccan Prize Money for General Captures. Periods of four, eight, three and six months leave were granted to him between 1821 to 1826, ‘preparatory to applying for Furlo’ for another three years. He was transferred to the 48th N.I. (late 2/24th N.I.) in 1824, and, in 1829, he was appointed to the Arsenal Committee. In 1831, he rejoined his regiment and took part in the suppression of the uprising by Wahabi fanatics on the Hoogly, during which he commanded a treasure escort on a journey from the Presidency to Benares and back, aboard the river steamer Barampooter.

In 1836, a request for a Cadetship for one of his sons was turned downed, and an Inspection Report carried out the next year found Thomas ‘to be unfit to command a corps’ owing to his inactivity and inability to ride. In early 1839, a subaltern by the name of MacKenzie, was tried on a charge of ‘grossly disrespectful and insulting conduct’ towards Thomas but was, nevertheless, acquitted by Court Martial. Major Thomas survived the Army of the Indus’s arduous march into Afghanistan where he served as second in command of the 48th N.I. He was present at the Capture of Ghuznee on 23 July 1839, and was duly honoured by Shah Soojah-ul-Moolk with the Order of the Dooranee Empire, 3rd Class (Calcutta Gazette 15 August 1840). Thomas retired from the service on 1 March 1840, and was advanced to the rank of Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel in 1854. He died at his residence at Slough, Buckinghamshire, on 10 January 1860.

Refs: Hodson Index (NAM); Officers of the Bengal Army 1758-1834; IOL L/MIL/10/21