Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria, to include the Brian Ritchie Collection (Part II)

The Mahratta War medal to Captain Boyce Combe, 2nd Madras Native Infantry

Army of India 1799-1826, 2 clasps, Asseerghur, Nagpore (Lieut. Boyce Combe, 2nd N.I.) short hyphen reverse, officially impressed naming, minor nicks and bruises, otherwise very fine £2500-3000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Brian Ritchie Collection of H.E.I.C. and British India Medals.

View
Collection

Ex Hamilton-Smith 1927, Dalrymple White 1946 and Lovell 1977.

Only 48 Asseerghur clasps to Europeans, this combination being unique.

Boyce Combe was the eldest son of Captain Boyce Tree Combe, late H.M’s 55th, of Gray’s Inn, and Anne Gunthorpe, and was baptised aged 5 months at Andover, Hampshire, on 12 August 1785. He entered the Madras Army circa 1800, and was promoted Lieutenant in the 2nd Madras Native Infantry on 20 July 1801. During the Second Mahratta War, he was present with 2/2nd Madras N.I. in Stevenson’s force at the Capture of Asseerghur which surrendered on 21 October 1803, after only an hour’s bombardment.

Combe was promoted Captain on 31 May 1816, and served during the Third Mahratta War with the 1/2nd Madras N.I. which formed a part of one of the three brigades under Brigadier-General Doveton that reinforced Lieutenant-Colonel Hopetoun Scott’s force after the Battle of Seetabuldee and went on to decisively defeat the Bhonsla on 16 December 1817, at Nagpore. Combe married Eliza Margaret, daughter of Thomas Gowan, and died without issue at Cheltenham aged 78 on 5 December 1863.

Ref: Hodson Index (NAM).