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

A fine Indian campaign group of four to Private James Plant, 9th Lancers, representing every campaign fought by the regiment in that period

(a) Punniar Star 1843 (Private James Plant, H.M. 9th or Queen’s Royal Lancers) fitted with contemporary replacement bar suspension

(b) Sutlej 1845-46, for Sobraon 1846 (Jas. Plant, 9th Lancers)

(c) Punjab 1848-49, 2 clasps, Chilianwala, Goojerat (J. Plant, 9th Lancers)

(d) Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 3 clasps, Delhi, Relief of Lucknow, Lucknow (Jas. Plant, 9th Lancers) some light edge bruising and contact marks, otherwise very fine and better and a scarce group
£2500-3000

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

Ex Whitaker 1896.

James Plant was born in Manchester and attested for the 4th Dragoon Guards at Cork on 19 April 1839, giving his trade ‘Labourer’, and his age as 18 years. In July 1841 he was tried for using threatening language to non commissioned officers and sentenced to four months imprisonment. In April the following year, he was transferred to the 9th Lancers then under orders for India. 743 officers and men landed at Calcutta, but within a month of their arrival ninety had died of cholera - a mere handful would return home with the regiment in 1859.

Over the next twenty years Plant served in all campaigns and in virtually every engagement in which his regiment was represented. He first served in the Gwalior Campaign, being present at the battle of Punniar on 29 December 1843. In 1845-46, he served in the Sutlej Campaign and was present at Sobroan on 10 February 1846. In the Second Sikh War he was present at the passage of the Chenab, and at the battles of Chilianwala and Goojerat. He was in trouble again in 1852 and was tried and imprisoned for habitual drunkeness. During the Mutiny he marched with his regiment from Ambala to Delhi, taking part en route in the battle of Badli-ki-Serai. Having participated in the siege and capture of Delhi, he fought in the actions at Bolundshuhur and Allighur, during the advance of Greathed’s Flying Column, and in the battle at Agra, where the column was surprised by mutineers from the Gwalior Contingent. He was present at the second relief and final capture of Lucknow, and subsequently served in the campaigns in Rohilkhund and Oudh. He returned home with the ‘Ninth’ in September 1859, and was discharged through disability at Aldershot on 19 April 1861. At that time he was serving in Major James Rawlins’s troop and his conduct was deemed ‘indifferent lately’. Taking account of his numerous misdemeanours during his service, James Plant was never a contender for the long service and good conduct medal.

Ref: WO 97/1297.