The Bill and Angela Strong Medal Collection

Ghuznee 1839 (Major L. N. Hull. 16th Regt. N.I.) original suspension, naming engraved in fine running script, good very fine £800-1000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Bill and Angela Strong Medal Collection.

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Acquired from Stanley Gibbons in March 1980. Another Ghuznee medal, named to this officer, offered by Christies in July 1985 was withdrawn from sale as false.

Lawrence Nilson Hull was born in 1798, brother-in-law to Sir Stamford Raffles, on whose personal staff he served in Sumatra at an early age and was wrecked with him in the Fame. He arrived in India in September 1815 and was posted as Ensign to the 12th Bengal Native Infantry in October. He served with the 4th Grenadier Battalion in the final campaign of the Nepaul war in 1816. He transferred to the 10th Native Infantry and served with that regiment during the Mahratta war of 1817-18, taking part in much arduous service and in many sharp engagements in the Nagpore and Norbada districts. In January 1820 he was appointed Adjutant of the Fort Marlborough Local Corps with which he served in Sumatra until January 1824. In March 1831 he was appointed Brigade Major, firstly at Dacca and then at Cawnpore until June 1832, when he was appointed D.A.A.G. to the Meerut Division, and afterwards to the Cawnpore Division. He rejoined his regiment, the 16th N.I. (late 2/10th), and was with it throughout the campaign of 1838-39 in Afghanistan, taking part in all the operations, including the storm and capture of Ghuznee, in which he commanded the grenadier company of the regiment (Medal).

On the breaking out of the first Sikh war in December 1845, he joined the Army of the Sutlej with his regiment, which he commanded in the battles of Moodkee and Ferozeshuhur, in the latter of which, in the fitful though at times severe fighting which took place within the Sikh entrenchments during the hours of darkness, he, early on the morning of the 22nd December, received a mortal wound, of which he died at Ferozepore on the following day.