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

The Crimea and Indian Mutiny group of three to Captain Neville Glastonbury, Royal Engineers, killed in action at Barodia in January 1858

(a) Crimea 1854-55, 2 clasps, Alma, Sebastopol (Glastonbury Neville, Royal Engineers) contemporary engraved naming

(b) Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 1 clasp, Central India (Capt. G. Neville, Royal Engrs.)

(c) Legion of Honour, Knight’s badge, silver, gold and enamels, the white enamel heavily lacquered and yellowed, otherwise good very fine or better (3) £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.

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Promoted Captain on 19 March 1857, Neville’s reputation was such that, on landing in India, Sir Hugh Rose, who had served as the British liaison officer at French Headquarters in the Crimea, summoned him to join the Central India Field Force before the rebels’ defensive position at Barodia. He arrived on 30 January 1858 and ‘earnestly pleaded’ with the General to be appointed acting Aide-de-Camp, but nevertheless wrote that night to his mother expressing the certainty he felt of death in the coming action. Next day when the enemy answered the British assault with guns and rockets, Neville was struck in the head by a round shot. With a heavy heart, Sir Hugh wrote: ‘Knowing what good service he had done as an Engineer officer before Sebastopol, I had him brought up by forced marches to assist in the reduction of the forts in this country; during the action he was most useful to me, exhibiting to the last the courage and intelligence which had obtained for him so honourable a reputation.’

‘The loss of this officer’, wrote Dr Thomas Lowe, ‘was much lamented by the General. He had been all through the Crimean War - had passed days and nights in the trenches before Sebastopol, and had escaped with much honour, and in so short a time to have met his death in such a manner, after such a career, was indeed lamentable. He was buried the day after in a little mound near the camp, all the officers of the Force having followed him to his grave.’

Refs: History of the Corps of Royal Engineers (Porter); History of the Indian Mutiny (Forrest); Central India during the Rebellion of 1857 and 1858 (Lowe); Army List