A rare Bhurtpoor C.B. group of three awarded to Major-General Cecil Bisshopp, 14th Foot, Aide de Camp to Lieutenant-General Gwynne at Corunna

The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, C.B. (Military) Companion’s breast badge, 22 carat gold and enamels, hallmarked London 1815, maker’s mark ‘IN’ for John Northam, complete with original wide gold swivel-ring suspension and gold ribbon buckle; Military General Service 1793-1814, 1 clasp, Corunna (C. Bisshopp, Capt. 14th Foot); Army of India 1799-1826, 1 clasp, Bhurtpoor (Bt. Major C. Bisshopp, 14th Foot.) short hyphen reverse, officially impressed naming, the C.B. with small repair to central device on reverse and with some minor chips to enamel, otherwise nearly extremely fine (3) £6000-7000

Ex Harris, Payne and Mackenzie Collections; Flatow Collection, Spink, November 1998.

Cecil Bissopp was born at Storrington, West Sussex, on 29 July 1785. He was appointed Cornet in the 14th Light Dragoons in December 1799; Lieutenant, October 1800; Captain, 14th Foot, June 1808; Brevet Major, May 1825; Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel, January 1826; Colonel, November 1841; Major-General, November 1851; Colonel of the 16th Foot, May 1857 until death.

Served in Spain 1808-09, including the battle of Corunna where he was A.D.C. to Lieutenant-General Gwynne. He served with the 14th on the Walcheren Expedition in 1809, and later in the South of France in 1814. He went to India in 1818, and took part in the siege of Bhurtpoor, December 1825 to January 1826. For his conduct during the siege and final capture of the fortress, where he led the Left Column of attack, he received the brevet of Lieutenant-Colonel and was made a Companion of the Bath (London Gazette 2 January 1827). Appointed Colonel of the 16th Foot in May 1857, Major-General Bisshopp died at Stoke, near Devonport, on 21 March 1858. According to his obituary notice he was also a K.C.H.