Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Hyderabad 1843 (Asst. Apoty. Peter Cameron 1st. T.H.A.) fitted with original silver clip and straight bar suspension, edge nicks, very fine and rare to rank £700-£900

Dix Noonan Webb, December 2013.

Peter Cameron was born in Bombay on 19 January 1817, the son of Duncan Cameron, proprietor of the Bombay Hotel and Tavern. Baptised on 16 February 1817 by the Reverend N. Wade, the absence of his mother’s name in the register indicates she was likely of Indian heritage - a not uncommon oversight at that time. Joining the Army around 1832, it appears that Cameron took advantage of the formal scheme to train apothecaries, largely borne of boys from the Upper and Lower Orphan Schools, designed to raise a staff of Compounders, Dressers, Apothecaries and Sub Surgeons in the Medical Departments of the Presidency.

Qualifying Assistant Apothecary on 11 September 1838, Cameron served a short while with the Scinde Frontier Force, before transferring to the 2nd Bombay European Regiment in 1840. Subsequently attached to the 1st Troop, Bombay Horse Artillery, he accompanied the Troop during the First Afghan War of 1842 and was present at the Battle of Hyderabad on 24 March 1843 in the Scinde War. Here, crossing the nullahs with sweeping discharges, the Horse Artillery created fearful havoc amongst the dense masses of the Beloochee army. Such was the proximity of the gunners to the enemy that a Beloochee standard was taken by the 1st Troop, Bombay Horse Artillery, most gallantly captured by Trumpeter Martin Phelan just as the Battery was coming into action.

Promoted Steward on 18 February 1843, Cameron returned to the European Regiment and was raised Apothecary on 2 May 1846 with H.M.s 28th Regiment of Foot. He served in 1850 with the 22nd Regiment of Foot and in 1851 with the 86th Regiment of Foot. In 1853, Cameron was appointed Medical in Charge H.C. (Honourable Company) Agency in the Dominions of His Highness the Imaum of Muscat, Oman. He followed this role with a position tending to the needs of the 83rd Regiment. Retired on 1 May 1857, Cameron outlived both his wife and young child. He is shown on the pension roll as permitted to reside in Poona.

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