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

A ‘Dargai’ Order of Merit awarded to Jemadar Waryam Singh, 15th Sikhs, who was severely wounded whilst carrying other wounded men to the rear

(a) Order of Merit, 3rd Class, the reverse with screw-nut fitting and officially inscribed on three lines ‘3rd Class Order of Merit’, lacking silver ribbon buckle

(b) India General Service 1895-1902, 4 clasps, Relief of Chitral 1895, Punjab Frontier 1897-98, Samana 1897, Tirah 1897-98 (Jemdr. Waryam Singh, 15th Bl. Infy.) enamel chipped on the first, pitting and contact wear, otherwise nearly very fine
£2000-2500

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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Order of Merit, 3rd Class G.G.O. 503 of 1898: Jemadar Waryam Singh, jointly with No. 2847 Sepoy Bhola Singh, and No. 3315 Sepoy Kishn Singh, 15th (Sikh) Regiment of Bengal Infantry: ‘‘For conspicuous gallantry at Chagru Kotal, on the 18th October 1897, in having helped to carry wounded men to the rear under a heavy fire and over difficult ground, in doing which they were wounded and had themselves to be
carried.’

The Dargai heights had been successfully captured and cleared of the enemy on the 18th October but, for reasons that still remain unclear today, a decision was taken to abandon the commanding position later that day. Several casualties occurred during the retirement, including Major R. D. Jennings-Bramley, of the Gordons, killed. The order of the retirement of General Kempster’s Brigade was as follows: Gurkhas first, and then the Gordons, the whole to be covered by the 15th Sikhs and the Gurkha Scouts. On the Gurkhas leaving their position on the high hill, it was immediately occupied by the enemy in great numbers. As the Gurkhas and Gordons were moving off the Dargai Ridge, the enemy, emboldened by the retirement, were creeping up and surrounding the troops on the ridge, on whom they were firing from three sides. The retirement was conducted with admirable steadiness under the most trying conditions, for as soon as the ridge was abandoned it was occupied by the enemy, who poured a destructive fire on them at a range of under 300 yards.

Colonel Abbott, Commanding the 15th Sikhs, now keeping one company to cover the retirement, sent the rest of the Regiment on through the Gordon Highlanders, who, with two companies of the Scottish Borderers, had taken up a position on the Narik Sukh. The retirement of the rear company of the Sikhs was made with the greatest steadiness and coolness throughout. Section by section it fell back from point to point along the track from the west ridge to the Narik Sukh, a distance of nearly a mile. The latter part of the retirement was well covered by accurate volleys from the Gordons; and well it was so, for by the time this company of Sikhs reached the Gordons the majority of the men were occupied in carrying their dead and wounded.

The abandonment of the Dargai heights caused much controversy at the time for, if the heights once held had not been evacuated, there would not have been the casualties which occurred in its evacuation, and there would not have been the magnificent engagement and deplorable loss of life two days later, when the pride of our army fought and won the deadly heights again.

Jemadar Waryam Singh was severely wounded by a gunshot in the left thigh in the retirement on the 18th October. He had joined the regiment on 12 March 1880, becoming a Jemadar on 1 November 1894, and Native Adjutant on 1 February 1895. He transferred to the Pension Establishment shortly after the Tirah Campaign.

Refs: Deeds of Valour of the Indian Soldier (Hypher); Indian Army Lists; The Tirah Campaign (Mills).