Medals from a Mutiny Collection

Pair: Lieutenant-Colonel A. Francis, 68th Bengal Native Infantry, attached Goorkha Force, who was five times Mentioned in Despatches during the Great Sepoy Mutiny

India General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, Pegu (Lieut. A. Francis. 68th Regt. N.I.) officially re-impressed naming; Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 1 clasp, Lucknow (Lieut. Francis, attd. Goorkha Force) good very fine (2) £800-£1,000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals from a Mutiny Collection.

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Provenance: George McIlroy Collection.

Alfred Francis was born in London on 26 October 1827 and was educated at University College, London, and Addiscombe. Commissioned Ensign on 11 June 1847, he was posted to the 68th Bengal Native Infantry, ands was promoted Lieutenant on 21 November 1851. He served in the Second Burma War, and subsequently during the Great Sepoy Mutiny, attached to the Goorkha Forces under Maharaja Jung Bahadoor, in Gomrckpore and Oude, from January to June 1858. He was present at the Battle of Phoolpore on 20 January 1858, and was Mentioned in Brigadier-General McGregor’s Despatch, and in Colonel Rowcroft’s Despatch of 22 February 1858: ‘Lieutenant Francis, attached to the Junganath Regiment, greatly exerted himself’.

Francis was next present at the Battle of Kandoo Nuddee on 5 March 1858, for which he was Mentioned in Brigadier-General McGregor’s Despatch, Captain Lowden’s Despatch, and in Captain Lane’s Despatch of March 1858: ‘Lieutenant Francis in his own department afforded me every assistance’. He was then present at the siege and capture of Lucknow in March 1858.

Francis saw further service in the Sarun District under Brigadier Douglas in 1858-59, and then served in the Sewau Levy and with a detachment of the 2nd Police Battalion, Bengal Military Police, in 1859. Promoted Captain on 15 May 1859, and Major on 11 June 1862, he was posted to the Bengal Civil Police on 23 August 1862, and was appointed District Superintendent of Police in Bhaugulpore in 1866. He was promoted to his ultimate rank of Lieutenant-Colonel on 9 February 1870, and died in 1877.

Sold with copied research.