Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Crimea 1854-56, 1 clasp, Sebastopol (James Cross Lieut. 46th. Regt.) contemporarily engraved in upright serif capitals, with top silver riband buckle, cleaned, very fine £300-£400

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to the 46th Foot and its Successor Units.

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James Cross was born in Brampton, Huntingdonshire, in 1828 and attested for the King’s Royal Rifle Corps on 16 January 1846. He transferred to the Grenadier Guards on 1 June 1847, and was advanced Sergeant. He was commissioned Ensign and Adjutant in the 46th Regiment of Foot on 2 March 1855, with his date of commission subsequently being back-dated to the Battle of Inkermann, 5 November 1854, indicating that he was one of the N.C.O.s from every Cavalry, Guard, and Line Regiment to be commissioned as a reward for meritorious service. He was promoted Lieutenant, without purchase, on 4 May 1855, but was permitted to retire by sale of his commission on 1 August 1856. He died in Cambridgeshire on 5 September 1887.

Sold with a portrait image of the recipient and much copied research, including details of the scheme whereby one NCO in every regiment was commissioned into their own regiment (or, in the case of the three Guards Battalions, into a Regiment of the Line).