Orders, Decorations and Medals

A ‘Thin Red Line’ group of four to Surgeon-Major W. H. Pollard, 93rd Highlanders, later Ross’s Camel Corps

Crimea 1854-56, 3 clasps, Alma, Balaklava, Sebastopol, unnamed as issued; Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 1 clasp, Lucknow (Asst. Surgn., Ross’ Camel Corps); Turkey, Order of Medjidie, 5th Class breast badge, silver, gold and enamel, later style, rev. engraved, ‘W. H. Pollard, 93rd Highlanders from H.I. Majesty The Sultan of Turkey 1856’, enamel damage to suspension; Turkish Crimea 1855, Sardinian issue, unnamed, plugged, with swivel ring suspension, all with silver buckles on ribbon, first with some contact marks, very fine and better except where stated (4) £1200-1500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of Medals to the Medical Services formed by Colonel D.G.B. Riddick.

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William Henry Pollard was born in Gloucester on 12 April 1831. Gaining the degrees of B.A. and M.D., he entered the Army as an Assistant Surgeon on 7 April 1854. He served throughout the Crimean War with the 93rd Highlanders, including the affair at Bulganac, the battle of Alma, the battle of Balaklava - where his regiment most notably formed the ‘Thin Red Line’ which beat off a Russian cavalry attack, the expedition to Kertch and Yenikale and the siege and fall of Sebastopol, including the attacks of 18 June (1st attack on the Redan) and 8 September (final attack on the Redan). For his services he was awarded the Order of the Medjidie 5th Class. The following years he served with the Staff, 22nd Regiment and Royal Artillery. Pollard served in the suppression of the Indian Mutiny with Ross’s Camel Corps (his regiment, the 22nd, being at home), including the siege and capture of Lucknow, the operations in Shahabad, the action at Sukreta, the capture of Jugdespore and subsequent operations in Oudh. In 1858 he was in medical charge of a column in Central India under Brigadier Showers. Promoted to Staff Surgeon on 20 June 1865, he had further periods of service with the 22nd Regiment and Royal Artillery. Promoted to Surgeon-Major in the Army Medical Department in June 1865, he was placed on Half Pay in October 1873 and retired on Half Pay on 28 November 1876. Surgeon-Major Pollard died at Putney on 23 April 1882.