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

An interesting Sutlej and Crimean War group to Paymaster John Cornes, 79th Highlanders, late 53rd Regiment, who was wounded at Buddiwal commanding the rear-guard in defence of the baggage when cut off and attacked by the enemy

(a) Sutlej 1845-46, for Aliwal 1846, 1 clasp, Sobraon (Qur. Master John Cornes, 53rd Regt.)

(b) Crimea 1854-55, 3 clasps, Alma, Balaklava, Sebastopol (Pay Mr. J. Cornes, 79th Foot) officially impressed naming

(c) Turkish Crimea, British issue (Pay Mr. J. Cornes, 79 Foot) light contact marks, otherwise good very fine (3) £900-1200

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

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John Cornes enlisted in the 53rd Regiment of Foot on 17 April 1824. He became Corporal in May 1825; Sergeant in September 1826; Quarter-Master Sergeant in October 1837; and Quarter-Master in June 1841.

In January 1846 the 53rd Regiment was ordered to march with all possible haste to join the Army of the Sutlej but no sooner than it reached Busseau, further orders directed it to join a detachment under the command of Sir Harry Smith, who was proceeding to Loodhiana then under threat of attack by a powerful Sikh force under Ranjur Singh. A junction with Smith was effected on the 20th and at 1 a.m. next day the whole force moved towards Loodhiana thirty miles away. Smith’s advance was opposed at Badhowal by the Sikhs with sixty-five large calibre guns, but nevertheless reached Loodhiana at 3 p.m., when it was found that the baggage under Cornes had become cut off.

During the march ‘the greater part of the baggage was in the rear. The enemy seeing this sent out large parties of cavalry - cutting off the communication - and took great quantities of it. A large part, including the spare ammunition and baggage of the regiment, was saved through the intrepidity of Quarter-Master Cornes, who, with the regimental baggage guard - 1 sergeant and 30 men, a few of the 16th Lancers and straggling Sepoys, in all 2 officers and about 80 men, showed a bold front to the advancing enemy; and, although they had one field peice - which they discharged several times - and about 1,000 men, such was the bold appearance of the little but gallant body that the enemy was forced to desist. The party then retired on Jugraon fort, taking with them all they could, without further molestation; they rejoined the regiment a few days afterwards, and were congratulated by their comrades with very gratifying feelings, it having been reported that they had been cut to pieces by the enemy.’

Quarter-Master Cornes, who was ‘wounded in the leg and had his horse shot under him at Buddiwal’, was duly thanked by Sir Hugh Gough and gained the ‘cordial approbation and thanks’ of the Commander-in-Chief of Her Majesty’s Forces, the Duke of Wellington, for ‘the gallantry and judgement he displayed in protecting the baggage and sick in the movement towards Loodhiana, when attacked by a large force of the enemy on the 21st January.’ Having served at the Battles of Aliwal and Sobraon, Cornes was commissioned Ensign on 1 October 1846, and was advanced to Lieutenant in March 1847. He was appointed Paymaster in November of the latter year, and subsequently transferred to the 79th (Cameron) Highlanders with whom he served at Quebec and in the Crimean War, being present at the Battle of the Alma and the Fall of Sebastopol [note: Cornes did not serve at Balaklava and is not entitled to the clasp for that action]. He was placed on Half-Pay in June 1856, but later served as Paymaster to the 1st West India Regiment and to the 18th (Royal Irish) Regiment. Paymaster Cornes married Margaret Graham at Gibraltar in 1834, and, according to Hart’s Army List, died in 1864.

Refs: Hart’s Army List; WO 25/419; WO 25/3239; WO 25/418; Historical Records of the 53rd (Shropshire) Regiment (Rogerson); Historical Records of the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders.