Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A fine ‘Sutlej operations’ C.B. group of four awarded to Major-General W. J. Gairdner, Indian Army

The Most Honourable Order of The Bath, C.B. (Military) Companion’s breast badge, gold and enamel, hallmarks for London 1815, complete with wide gold swivel-ring and straight-bar suspension and wide gold riband buckle; Army of India 1799-1826, 2 clasps, Nepaul, Ava (Capt. W. J. Gairdner. 10th. N.I.), short-hyphen die, officially engraved naming as issued in India; Maharajpoor Star 1843 (Lieutt. Colonel W. J. Gairdner. 14th Regt. Native Infantry) with modified brass hook and silver straight-bar suspension; Sutlej 1845-46, for Ferozeshuhur 1845, and further fitted with a clasp for Ferozeshuhur (Lieut. Col: W: J: Gairdner. 14th Regt. N.I.) generally good very fine (4) £5,000-£7,000

Dix Noonan Webb, July 2004.

C.B. London Gazette 3 April 1846.

William John Gairdner was born in September 1789, the son of Alexander Gairdner of Ladykirk, Markton, Ayrshire. Appointed a Cadet in the Honourable East India Company’s forces in 1807, he arrived in India in October 1808 and was posted to the 10th Native Infantry as an Ensign.

Quickly in action against the Bhattis in the following year, Gairdner was transferred as an Ensign to the 2nd/10th Native Infantry for operations in the Oudh in 1813-14, seeing action in Rewah and at the storming of Etah, where he was wounded. Then in 1816, having been advanced to Lieutenant, he fought with the 2nd Brigade, Left Column in operations of the Nepal War; and in the same year he was also witnessed the Bareilly insurrection.

Gairdner was Adjutant of the 2nd/10th Native Infantry from March 1817 to April 1824, a period that encompassed further active service in the Third Mahratta War (but no medal or clasp); and, having transferred to the 14th Native Infantry in May 1824, he served in the First Burma War and was present at the engagements at Donabew on 2 April 1825 and at Prome on 1 December of the same year, latterly as a temporary Staff Assistant Commissary-General to Sir A. Campbell’s force. He became a Deputy Assistant Commissary-General in August 1831, was advanced to Major in June 1835 and returned home to Scotland on furlough 1836-40.

Back in India, Gairdner was advanced to Lieutenant-Colonel in January 1842 and appointed to the command of the 14th Native Infantry, which regiment he led in the Gwalior operations of the following year, not least at Maharajpoor; and again, between 1845-46, he commanded the regiment in the First Sikh War and was present at Ferozeshuhur, for which services he was created a Companion of the Order of the Bath.

Transferring to the 16th Native Infantry, Gairdner’s final period of active service was against the Rajah of Sikkim’s forces in 1850. He was appointed Commanding Officer of the 63rd Native Infantry soon after his advancement to full Colonel in September 1852 but returned home on furlough in the same year and died at Strathtyrum House, St. Andrews, Fifeshire in February 1861 - his advancement to Major-General dated from November 1854.

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