Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A fine Crimean Al Valore Militare group of five awarded to Lieutenant James Lamb, 50th Regiment, promoted from Sergeant-Major for gallantry in the field, his commission dating from the battle of Inkermann

Crimea 1854-56, 3 clasps, Alma, Inkermann, Sebastopol (Lieut. J. Lamb 50th Q.O. Regt.) contemporary engraved naming; Medaille Militaire, silver-gilt and enamel, some chipping to blue enamel; Al Valore Militare, mint mark ‘F.G’, the reverse officially engraved ‘Lieutt. James Lamb 50th Regt.’; Order of the Medjidie, 5th Class, silver, gold and enamel; Turkish Crimea 1855, Sardinian issue, unnamed, the first with pitting and contact marks, otherwise nearly very fine or better (5) £2600-3000

The following recommendation in relation to the award of the Al Valore Militaire is extracted from the book, British War Medals and How They Were Won, by Thomas Carter:

'This officer served throughout the Crimean Campaign, and his conduct was conspicuous on the occasion of a sortie made by the Russians on the advanced trench of the left attack before Sebastopol in December 1854, when a few companies of the 50th Regiment suffered severely in repelling the attack.'

James Lamb was promoted from Sergeant-Major to Ensign in the 50th Regiment for bravery in the field, his commission dating from the battle of Inkermann, 5 November 1854. He was further promoted to Lieutenant on 9 March 1855. He served with the 50th Regiment in the Eastern Campaign of 1854-55, including the battles of Alma and Inkermann, and siege and fall of Sebastopl (Medal and three Clasps, Sardinian and Turkish Medals, and 5th Class of the Medjidie). No record can be found of his entitlement to the Medaille Militaire, although his successor as Sergeant-Major did receive this award. Lamb transferred as Lieutenant to the 100th Regiment on 1 June 1858 and was promoted to Captain on 25 May 1861. He died in Malta on 3 October 1864, whilst serving with the garrison on that island.