Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 1 clasp, Delhi (Lieut. R. A. Wanchope, 4th Sikh Infy.) note misspelling of surname, medal fitted with additional clasps for Lucknow and Central India, nearly very fine £400-450

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

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Robert Adam Wauchope was born on 9 June 1836, son of Edinburgh wine merchant George Wauchope. He was educated at the Edinburgh Academy and subsequently at the Naval and Military Academy in the same city. He was nominated a cadet in the season of 1854-55 and arrived in India as an Ensign on 19 December 1855. He was initially posted to the 57th Native Infantry, becoming Lieutenant in February 1857, but, after that regiment mutinied at Ferozepore on the 14th May, he served with the 4th Sikhs from 30th June. At Delhi, on 14 September, he commanded a detachment of 50 men at the storming of the Water Bastion, was engaged in the subsequent six days’ street fighting and on 19 September again commanded a detachment at the capture of the Burn Bastion.

Wauchope next saw field service with 45th (Rattray’s) Sikhs, against the hill tribes in Sikkim with the force under Colonel Gawler, on which occasion he was mentioned in despatches. In 1863 he served with the 23rd Sikh Pioneers, as part of the Yusofzai Field Force, in the Umbeyla campaign and was engaged in the storming of the Conical Hill, the capture of Lalloo, and the final defeat of the enemy at Bonar Pass (Medal with clasp). He served with the 3rd Gurkha Regiment in the Bhootan campaign, being engaged at Dalinkote, Chamoordchi, Bala and Buxa (Despatches twice, clasp to India medal). In October 1867, Wauchope was promoted to Captain and the following year became Brigade Major at Lucknow and subsequently at Peshawur. In 1874 he took part in the Duffla expedition under Brigadier-General Stafford (despatches), and in 1875 he served as Commandant of Transport with the force under Colonel Nuttal in the operations against the Naga tribes on the north-east frontier (despatches).

Wauchope went on furlough for two years in August 1875, and, upon his return to India, was posted to the 14th Sikhs, with whom he remained for the rest of his career, eventually becoming its officiating Commandant. He commanded a battalion of the regiment in the Jowaki expedition of 1877-78, again being mentioned in despatches and adding a third clasp to his India General Service medal. He next saw action during the second Afghan war, as Brigade Major, 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, Peshawur Valley Field Force, was again mentioned in despatches and received promotion to Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel in November 1879. He was finally present at the attack and capture of Ali Musjid in the Khyber Pass (Medal with clasp), this being his last sight of action. He retired as Second-in-Command of the 14th Sikhs, with the rank of Major-General, in June 1885, and died at his residence in Brighton on 24 September 1898, aged 62.