Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Colour-Sergeant John Jefferies, 40th Regiment

Candahar Ghuznee Cabul 1842 (Serjt. John Jeffries Her M’s 40th Regt.) naming engraved in running script, fitted with steel clip and replacement silver bar suspension; Maharajpoor Star 1843 (Serjt. John Jefferies H.M. 40th Regt.) fitted with adapted silver bar suspension with engraved decoration and inscribed ‘J. Jefferies’; Army Meritorious Service Medal, V.R., dated ‘1847’ on edge (Color Serjt John Jefferies 40th Regt. 1847) the last with obverse brooch marks, naming detail weak in parts on the first and last, pitting overall, therefore good fine (3) £1,400-£1,800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals - The Property of a Gentleman.

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Collection

Glendining’s, November 1956; Ian McInnes Collection, Dix Noonan Webb, September 2003.

Only 107 M.S.M.s of the first issue were awarded with the edge dated 1847, this one being unique to the 40th Foot.

John Jefferies (often Jeffries) was born at Sudbury, Suffolk, in 1806, and was attested for the 40th Foot at Colchester on 15 November 1825, aged 19 years. He joined his regiment in Tasmania, or Van Dieman’s Land as it was then called, where he remained for almost two years before they were posted to Belgaum, in the Bombay Presidency of India. Promoted to Corporal in 1833 and to Sergeant in 1834, Jefferies saw his first active service from 183 to 1843 in Baluchistan, Afghanistan, and lower and upper Scinde, culminating in the battle of Maharajpoor on 29 December 1843. He was promoted to Colour-Sergeant in 1844 and sailed for England in 1845. He was by now suffering from chronic hepatitis and rheumatism, which caused him to be discharged on 22 December 1846. His papers were signed by Lieutenant-Colonel George Hibbert, the last of the officers of the 40th who had fought at Waterloo, and it was he who recommended Jefferies for the M.S.M. in March 1847. Jefferies received his M.S.M. on 3 December of that year, together with an annuity of £10, and died circa 1875.

Sold with copied discharge papers and other research.