Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Indian Mutiny 1857-59, no clasp (Actg. 2nd Asst. Magte. A. E. D. Grey. Dharwar) extremely fine £450-550

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of Medals formed by the late Tim Ash.

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Arthur Egypt Donoughmore Grey was born in the Parish of Ballingcollig, County Cork, on 20 June 1824, the son of Colonel Grey, 2nd Dragoons. He was educated privately and attended the East India Company’s College at Haileybury, 1849-51, and joined the Bombay Civil Service on 10 September 1851. Arriving in India in November 1851, he was appointed Assistant and Acting Third Assistant Collector and Magistrate at Belgaum on 6 March 1853. Over the ensuing years Grey made steady progress through the ranks of the judiciary and by the outbreak of the Mutiny he was an Assistant Judge and Session Judge at Ahmednager, and later at Surat. In February 1858 he was appointed Second Assistant Collector and Magistrate, Surat, and Acting Second Assistant at Dharwar, in the Southern Mahratta Country.

In this capacity he accompanied the Force of Lieutenant-Colonel G. Malcolm, commanding the Southern Mahratta Horse, in the capture of the town and Fort of Nurgoond subsequent to the murder of Mr Manson, Assistant Political Agent Southern Mahratta Country, on 29 May 1858.

The capture of the town and Fort of Nurgoond took place on the 1st and 2nd of June respectively: ‘Messrs Grey and Spens were both with Colonel Malcolm in the charge when he defeated the force from Nurgoond that came out to attack the British Troops. They and Lieutenant Thomas accompanied the party that ascended on the morning of the 2nd June to the Fort Gate for the purpose of blowing it in with powder bags. The Fort was found deserted.’

Bhaskur Rao Dadajee, Chief of Nurgoond, also known as ‘Baba Sahib’, was captured a few days later at Torgul and charged with the murder of Mr Manson, the Acting Political Agent, and with rebellion and waging war against the British Government. He appeared before a Court at Belgaum, was found guilty on all counts and hanged.

Grey continued with his career in the Bombay Civil Service, eventually becoming Commissioner Southern Division in January 1878. He retired from the service on 29 October 1879, whilst on Medical Certificate Furlough to Europe, and died in Bournemouth on 15 April 1915.

Sold with a comprehensive file of research.