Orders, Decorations and Medals

Army of India 1799-1826, 1 clasp, Nepaul (Serjt. D. Riley, 24th Foot) short hyphen reverse, officially impressed naming, fitted with silver ribbon brooch, good very fine £700-900

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Choice Collection of Medals and other items to the 24th Foot (South Wales Borderers).

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Daniel Riley was born in Birmingham on the 1st April 1789, and enlisted as a Private in the 24th Foot on 25 August 1807, quickly rising through the ranks to become a Sergeant in September 1808 when he accompanied the 1st Battalion 24th to the Cape of Good Hope. In June 1810, his battalion was ordered to India and Sergeant Riley was embarked, together with the headquarters and flank companies of the 24th, aboard the Ceylon for the passage. In company with the Astell, Euphrates, William Pitt, and Windham, each with companies of the 24th on board, the convoy left the Cape on June 10th and immediately met with bad luck when the Euphrates struck a rock and had to turn back.

A few days later the William Pitt parted company, and then, on July 3rd, when the three remaining ships were passing up the Mozambique Channel and were near the northern end of Madagascar, three strange sail were sighted to the north-east. Before long it was clear that the strangers were Frenchmen and coming up fast and that the Indiamen could not escape without a fight. Soon a brisk action began, men of the 24th helping to man the guns. The Indiamen, however, were no match for the faster French frigates and, after a fight of nearly two hours, the Ceylon and Windham, both badly damaged and completely disabled, were obliged to strike their colours. The Astell, meanwhile, with masts, rigging and sails very badly damaged and making three feet of water an hour, nevertheless managed to make good her escape and, on 1st August, reached Madras. Eleven officers and 375 other ranks, including Sergeant Daniel Riley, became prisoners of war and were held on Mauritius until the island was reduced by a force of 10,000 sent for that purpose at the end of November 1810.

In March 1811, these unfortunate men of the 24th rejoined the rest of their battalion at Fort William, and subsequently took part in the Nepaul campaign of 1814 and 1815 under Major Generals Marley and Wood. Sergeant Riley had been appointed Regimental Schoolmaster in December 1813, and remained in the East Indies until July 1823, becoming Quarter-Master Sergeant in August 1822, and Regimental Sergeant Major in November 1822. He was granted a commission as Ensign in the 24th Foot, without purchase, in January 1825, becoming Adjutant two months later and Lieutenant at the end of the same year. He retired on the full pay of the 24th Regiment as Captain and Brevet Major in 1848, and was finally made Lieutenant Colonel on 28 November 1854. He died at the age of 84 years on 31 October 1873, at Southsea.