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

The Indian Mutiny medal to Paymaster William Comerford, Royal Navy, Paymaster to Shannon’s Naval Brigade

Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 2 clasps, Relief of Lucknow, Lucknow (Asst. Paymr. Wm. T. Comerford, Shannon) nearly extremely fine and rare
£1400-1800

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

View
Collection

William Thomas Comerford had seen service afloat in the Baltic as Assistant Paymaster of the Royal George prior to his appointment as H.M.S. Shannon’s Paymaster. He left Calcutta on 18 August 1857, as one of the Naval Brigade’s ‘first party’ to go up to Allahabad, and served throughout the Shannon Brigade’s rigorous tour of duty in India, being present at the Second Relief and final assault and storm of Lucknow. He was advanced to Paymaster on 22 March 1858, and was placed on the Retired List under Her Majesty’s Orders in Council of 9 July 1864. He is thought to have died in 1875 or ‘76.

Ref: Naval Brigades in the Indian Mutiny (Navy Records Society).