Orders, Decorations and Medals

Meeanee 1843 (Lascar Ahmed Bux H.C.V. Planet) naming engraved in running script, fitted with steel clip and bar suspension, nearly very fine and very rare £1200-1500

Not found on the roll for the Planet but there is a Lacsar Ahmed listed amongst the 20 crew of the Government Flat No. 1 “Mootnee” all of whom received medals for Meeanee.

‘Our casualties were numerous, two men being killed and twenty-five being wounded, but confined entirely to the naval arm of the expedition. The enemy are said to have lost about eighty killed and a proportionate number wounded. They served their guns extremely well, and some of the vessels (particularly her Majesty’s ship Blonde and the steamers Nemesis and Sesostris) suffered a great deal from the heavy destructive fire. The Nemesis’ rigging was cut to pieces; an artilleryman belonging to her was obliged to have his right arm amputated at the shoulder joint, another man belonging to the Pluto lost both his legs at the ankle, and Lt. Hewett R.M. of her Majesty’s ship Blonde lost his head by a round shot...’

Medals to Royal Marine recipients do not normally carry the ship’s name on the edge. However, this is one of at least two medals known to Royal Marine casualties issued with the ship’s name on the edge, both probably prepared and issued from the Royal Navy rolls rather than the Marine rolls. It is of further interest to note that Hewett’s ‘Marine’ issued medal is held by the Royal Marines Museum, having been part of a collection presented to the Royal Marines by Captain Portloch-Dadson, to commemorate his appointment as a Gentleman-Cadet on 6th August 1849.