Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 1 clasp, Delhi (G. Palmer. Civil Service) fitted with silver ribbon buckle and contained in fitted Hunt & Roskell leather case together with companion miniature medal in recess below, nearly extremely fine and rare (2) £700-800

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

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George Palmer was born in London on 2 November 1828, son of Lieutenant-Colonel George Palmer, of Nazing, who later raised and commanded the Essex Yeomanry Cavalry and became High Sheriff of Essex. He was educated at Charterhouse and Haileybury College, joining the Bengal Covenanted Civil Service in 1850. During his career he served mainly at Bijnoor, becoming Judge at Moradabad in 1873.

He ‘distinguished himself 1857-58, during the Indian Mutiny, organised a demi battery of Artillery, which he commanded for 13 months, received a military medal for India, and clasp for “DELHI”, and special letter of acknowledgement from the Queen, the Governor General of India having three times mentioned his services in his despatches.’

Palmer was Officiating Joint Magistrate at Bijnoor, with A. Shakespear as Magistrate, when the mutiny broke out and was most energetically engaged in pursuing the rebels in his district. ‘Mr Palmer... was placed in charge of the Mountain Train Guns, he being the only Officer in the Mozuffernugger District who understood anything about Artillery practise.’

On 25 June Palmer arrived at the British Headquarters Camp on the Ridge at Delhi, and was ‘on several occasions under fire’. He is mentioned in several letters written by Henry Harris Greathead, B.C.S., during the siege of Delhi, who observed, ‘he is a great warrior, and bristles with arms, which I hope he may soon with good effect against the Mozuffernugger Goojurs. He will be invaluable to Beresford, but just now from the Bagput disaster he is in a trap.’

Palmer left Delhi for Mozuffernugger on 6 July, arriving there as an Extra Joint Magistrate on 19 July. Roderick Mackenzie Edwards, B.C.S., Collector at Mozuffernugger, noted in his diary entry the following day, ‘Palmer arrived yesterday afternoon. A gentlemanly man but with an unfortunate hesitation in his speech. P. has evidently an excellent opinion of himself. He does not wish to remain here but is anxious to reoccupy Bijnoor.’

On 9 August Edwards wrote, ‘Palmer, my Extra Joint Magistrate, is a travelled and cultivated man, boiling over with military ardour. He, when at home, held a commission in the West Essex Yeomanry; donning on every possible occasion splendid uniform, a sword as long as a fishing rod, a couple of revolvers and, I am afraid to say, hair needing cutting beside. It is impossible to keep one’s gravity, his “Get up” is so marvellous. He is very fond of arguing, a mighty misfortune and a sad waste of time with a man who has so decided a hesitation in his speech.’

Palmer’s subsequent services are described thus: ‘At Hashimpoor, in the Mozuffernugger District, September 5th 1857, attacked and dispersed a body of insurgents under Dhalul Sing, the Goojur Chief, who was pursued to his Gurhee and narrowly escaped capture. Affair at Jowleh and reoccupation of the Fort of Boodhana, 14th September 1857. First attack on Thannah Bhowan, September 19th 1857. Repulse of a body of Rohilcund rebels who had crossed the Ganges and attacked the town of Meeranpoor, January 5th 1858.’

It was not until April 1858 that British authority was restored to the Bijnoor District and Messrs Shakespear and Palmer were enabled to return and restore the District to order. Later in the year Palmer was appointed to succeed Shakespear as the head of the Civil authority in the Bijnor District. Palmer resigned from the Bengal Civil Service in 1877 and returned to England becoming a J.P. for Essex and Knight of Justice of the Order of St John of Jerusalem. He died in London on 13 September 1902.

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