The Brian Ritchie Collection of H.E.I.C. and British India Medals

The Scinde campaign medal for the battle of Hyderabad to LMajor-General Alexander Woodburn, 25th Bombay Native Infantry, who was awarded the C.B. for services in the Scinde

Hyderabad 1843 (Major A. Woodburn, 25th Regt.) engraved naming, fitted with original silver clip and bar suspension, about good very fine £1400-1800

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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Alexander Woodburn, a farmer’s son, was born on 18 January 1803, in the parish of Mauchline, Kilmarnock, and was nominated a Cadet of Infantry for the Bombay Establishment by R. Plowden, Esq., on the recommendation of Sir James Shaw, Bart. Posted Ensign in the 12th Bombay Native Infantry on 11 February 1821, and promoted Lieutenant the following July, he was appointed Interpreter to the 11th N.I. in 1824. In 1826 he was detailed to do duty with a company of pioneers under the Executive Engineer’s Department in Candeish. Following further employ as an Interpreter and Fort Adjutant at Ahmednuggur, he was appointed Adjutant of the 25th N.I. Promoted Captain in February 1836, he was appointed to carry out Commissariat duties at Dapoolee in 1837, and afterwards served as Paymaster to the Poona Division.

In April 1842, he was employed in Afghanistan in command of a ‘Light Battalion’ and participated in operations under Major-General England in Pisheen. In 1847, he submitted a memorial to the Commander-in-Chief asking him to confer the Candahar Medal on the men of the 25th N.I., but he was, however, turned down in his application. Advanced to the rank of Major in February 1843, he took part in the conquest of Scinde and commanded a brigade at the Battle of Hyderabad on 24 March. Sir Charles Napier reported: ... the 2nd Brigade under command of Major Woodburn was brought into action with excellent coolness. It consisted of the 25th, 21st, and 12th Regts. under the command of Captns. Jackson, Stevens and Fisher respectively (London Gazette 6 June 1843).

Following this victory, Woodburn secured the sandstone fortress of Oomercote without firing a shot (London Gazette 4July 1843). For his services in Scinde he was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel and made a Companion of the Bath. In January 1849, Woodburn was appointed to command the fortress of Asseerghur. He became Colonel on 1 January 1854, and in March was appointed a Brigadier, 1st Class, in command of the Rajpootana Field Force. In May 1855, he was made Major-General, and following the outbreak of the Mutiny two years later, was appointed to the command of a moveable column in the Deccan Field Force, but was obliged to relinquish that post through ill health on 14 July 1857. General Woodburn died at Ahmedabad on 28 September 1860.

Refs: Hodson Index (NAM); IOL L/MIL/12/69; IOL L/MIL/12/77; IOL L/MIL/12/80.