Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Colonel P. A. Brown, Madras Fusiliers and Madras Sappers & Miners

India General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, Pegu Lt., 1st Mad. Eur. Regt.); India General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, Persia (Lieut., Madras Saprs. & Miners); Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 1 clasp, Central India (Capt., Madras Sappers & Miners) all fitted with contemporary silver ribbon buckles, contact wear and edge bruising, otherwise about very fine or better (3) £800-1000

Percival Ashley Brown served in the Burmese War of 1852-53, including the capture of Pegu and its subsequent defence, during which he was wounded, and was brought to the notice of the Governor General for able conduct when in command of a Piquet during the siege. He was also present at the attack on the Gongoo and in other minor affairs, and commanded the detachment which engaged the enemy on the 31st January 1854 (Medal with clasp). During the Persian campaign in 1857, he commanded the Madras Sappers at the bombardment and capture of Mohumrah and subsequent pursuit (Medal with clasp).

Brown served in the Indian Mutiny campaign of 1857-58, in command of a detachment of Madras Sappers & Miners, including the relief of Arungabad with the Deccan Field Force in July 1857, and with the Malwa Field Force at the relief of Mhow in August 1857, the siege and capture of Dhar, the several actions before Mundesore, Gooravia, and the relief of Neemuch in November 1857, after which he was mentioned in despatches and thanked by the Governor General of India. In December he attended the disarming of Holkar’s troops at Indore.

After service with the Nerbudda Field Force, Brown joined the 2nd Brigade of Sir Hugh Rose’s Central India Field Force and was present at the siege and capture of Ratghur in January 1858, and the siege and capture of Gurrakotah in February 1858. He served with the Advance Guard at the forcing of the pass into Bundlecund, and was present at the battle of Muddenpore, the siege and capture of the fort at Jhansi, including the battle of Betwa on 1st April and taking of the town by escalade, on which occasion he led the ladder-party of the right-centre attack. For this he received the thanks of Sir Hugh Rose, and also of the Engineer Commanding, in Orders, as well as being brought once again to the notice of the Governor General. In May 1858, he took part in the actions at Koonch and Gagortee, and the capture of the town and fort of Calpee (Despatches, Brevet of Major, Medal with clasp).

In 1862 Brown, in accordance with the changes made within the Indian Army in 1862, transferred into the 102nd Regiment (Royal Madras Fusiliers), later to become the 1st Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers, and during the following year he was posted home to their depot at Chatham, Kent. Brown was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel in March 1869, and was made Honorary Colonel in November 1879.