India General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, Persia (R. Scamp, Midshipmn. Assaye S.F.) very fine £500-600

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 Scamp was born in London on 13 October 1840, son of William Scamp, an architect and Deputy Director of Works at the Admiralty. He was educated privately and nominated for the Indian Navy by Sir Robert Campbell, Bt., being accepted for the Season of 1856. Scamp sailed to India in late 1856 on the P. & O. vessel Ripon and was granted the rank of Midshipman on 4 December 1856. He subsequently served on the steam frigate Assaye in the Persian expedition of 1856, including the engagement at Ahwaz when he had command of Assaye’s cutter and nine men.

During the Mutiny, Scamp served initially in No. 1 Detachment of the Indian Naval Brigade, being ordered to proceed to Fort William with Midshipman Wray and 100 seamen, all under the command of Lieutenant D. L. Duval. The detachment was highly commended for the good service it performed in guarding the gates of Fort William, and the State prisoners. In December 1857, Lieutenant Duval, with Midshipmen Wray and Scamp, was ordered to proceed to Gya, in Behar, with 100 seamen and two guns, in order to restore order to the area.

Scamp subsequently served with No. 3 Detachment under Commander Batt, with 100 men and four guns. He was later involved with the disarming of the 63rd N.I. and the 11th Irregular Cavalry. Together with H.M’s 90th Regiment, the Detachment relieved Pearl’s Naval Brigade at Fort Buxar. In October 1858, Batt resigned his command briefly to Scamp, pending the arrival of a senior lieutenant, in order to proceed on sick leave. Scamp, ‘a promising young officer who had done good service in Fort William and at Gya and Buxar, was drowned at Calcutta on rejoining his ship.’