The Bill and Angela Strong Medal Collection

The Royal Humane Society Medal awarded to Major E. B. Nixon, 33rd Burma Regiment, late Bengal Staff Corps, who was murdered by a Pathan soldier who ‘ran amok’ on 11 February 1891

Royal Humane Society, small bronze medal (successful) (Lieut. E. B. Nixon, Bengal Staff Corps, 1 August 1871) slight edge bruising, very fine £300-350

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

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An article in The Times of 5 April 1872 reads:

‘The Royal Humane Society has just transmitted its bronze medallion, together with suitable testimonials, to Lieutenant Nixon, adjutant of the Meywar Bheel Corps, for saving the life of a Sepoy under the following gallant circumstances. A party of men, with Colonel Mackeson, commanding the Meywar Bheel Corps, and Lieutenant Nixon, went to Banda Talao, a lake about seven miles from Kherwarra, to drag it for fish. The scene of operations was a creek about 90 yards across. Seven or eight Sepoys proceeded to swim over it with the net, the two officers remaining on the bank to superintend the drag. When the party got 70 yards, the leading man, Private Pema, was evidently in difficulty; his companions proceeded to his assistance, but instead of trying to land him on the nearest bank begun to take him back to the starting point. Their efforts were unsuccessful. The position of the man had become extremely critical, and Lieutenant Nixon plunged into the water and went to the rescue, disregarding the fact that the lake was as well stocked with alligators as with fish. After swimming about 70 yards he reached the drowning man in safety. He got hold of him under the shoulders, but though a strong swimmer found that he could not move him - indeed, that he was hardly able to keep him above the surface. Further aid arriving, a rope was conveyed to Mr Nixon, who passed it round the man’s arms. He, himself, however, was so exhausted that he could only hold on to the end and turn on his back. The men were then dragged to land, the Sepoy quite insensible and his preserver nearly so. It was then discovered that Private Pema had foolishly tied round his waist the rope attached to the net, which fully explained the difficulty Mr Nixon had experienced in supporting him, as he had had to sustain the additional weight of a heavily laden net, 20 yards long.’

Edward B. Nixon was born in West Bengal on 26 September 1848, the son of Colonel John Piggott Nixon. After attending the Royal Military College, Nixon was commissioned as an Ensign by purchase into the 1st Regiment of Foot, on 21 August 1866. He was promoted to Lieutenant in the Bengal Staff Corps in July 1869 and was permitted to receive the value of his commission. He was promoted to Captain in January 1879 and Major in August 1886. As such he was appointed 1st Commandant of the 33rd Burma Regiment.

Major Nixon was murdered on 11 February 1891 at Fort Stedman, in the Shan States. A Pathan Naik, apparently frustrated at missing a promotion, ‘ran amok’, and shot Nixon dead in his house as he was dressing for parade. The Naik then went on to shoot the Adjutant, Lieutenant Jameson, and three Sepoys as they attempted to arrest him. Jameson and two of the Sepoys subsequently died of their injuries.

With copied extracts from The Times re the rescue and murder, and other research.