Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The ‘North West Frontier’ campaign medal awarded to Major (later Lieutenant-General) Henry Milne, Bengal Army, who served as a Commissariat Officer throughout the campaigns of 1839-42 in Afghanistan, including the defence of Kelat-I-Ghilzie from August 1841 to June 1842 and commanded a party when the Afghans assaulted and were repulsed on 21 May, being mentioned in Garrison Orders by Major Craigie

India General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, North West Frontier (Major H Milne, Bengl. Infy.) officially impressed naming, toned, good very fine £400-£500

Henry Milne was born in London on 15 February 1812, and was a Cadet for the Bengal Infantry in the season of 1827-28. He was appointed Ensign on 7 March 1829; Lieutenant, 8 October 1839; Brevet Captain, 7 March 1844; Captain, 1 May 1846; Brevet Major, 28 November 1854; Major, 28 February 1856; Lieutenant-Colonel, 25 August 1859; Colonel, 25 August 1864; Major-General, 11 January 1870; Lieutenant-General, 1 October 1877.

Lieutenant-General Milne served in Cabul in 1838, and served throughout the campaigns of 1839-42 in Afghanistan as a Commissariat Officer and was present at the assault and capture of Ghuznee, 23rd July 1839 (Medal). Present at the assault and capture of the Fort of Fouladie, near Bamean; at the defeat of the Ameer Dost Mahomed Khan, near Bamean, in October 1840; and at Kelat-I-Ghilzie, from August 1841 to June 1842. Commanded a party when the Afghans assaulted and were repulsed, 21st May 1842. Mentioned in Garrison Orders by Major Craigie (Medal). Present at the action of Ghoain, 30th August; and re-occupation of Ghuznee, 6th September; action of Benee Badam, 16th September; re-occupation of Cabul, in September 1842; and in all the subsequent operations consequent on the evacuation of Afghanistan (Medal). Served at Chinglai, in the Eusuffzaie Country, in April 1848, with Major-General Sir Sydney Cotton. Received the thanks of the Major-General in his Despatch of 1858 (Medal with Clasp). Lieutenant-General Henry Milne died in London on 16 October 1879.

Sold with a silvered-bronze specimen Kelat-I-Ghilzie 1842 medal (ex Glendining’s 16 November 1994) engraved in running script (Lieutt. H. Milne Commt. Dept.) fitted with silver clip and rectangular silver bar suspension. There has been some subsequent speculation that this might be an original silver medal, and after x-ray flourescence spectometry and specific gravity tests conducted at the Royal Mint in 1998, they cautiously concluded, ‘the balance of probabilities accordingly shifted in favour of silver but I must repeat that this should not be regarded as a firm conclusion’. However, we remain convinced that it was correctly described when sold by Glendining’s. Sold with relevant correspondence from the Royal Mint together with other research.