A Collection of Awards to the Scinde Rifles

A fine Third Afghan War C.I.E. group of nine awarded to Brigadier-General H. de C. O’Grady, 59th Scinde Rifles, who having been wounded as a young officer in the action at Kharga in May 1908, rose to senior command in the Great War and Third Afghan War: a fiery Irishman, he would stomp up and down the firing lines encouraging his men in colourful language during the period of his command of a brigade in East Africa - more often than not accompanied by his dog

The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire, C.I.E., Companion’s 3rd type neck badge, gold and enamel; India General Service 1908-35, 2 clasps, North West Frontier 1908, Afghanistan N.W.F. 1919 (Captn. H. de C. O’Grady, 59th Rifles (F.F.)); 1914-15 Star (Maj. H. de C. O’Grady, 59/Rfls. F.F.); British War Medal 1914-20 (Major H. de C. O’Grady); Victory Medal 1914-19, M.I.D. oak leaf (Br. Genl. H. de C. O’Grady); Delhi Durbar 1911, privately inscribed, ‘Major H. de C. O;Grady, 59th Scinde Rifles; Jubilee 1935; Coronation 1937; France, Legion of Honour, Officer’s breast badge, gold and enamel, mounted as worn where applicable, one or two minor official corrections to the second, very fine and better (9) £2200-2500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Awards to the Scinde Rifles.

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C.I.E. London Gazette 22 March 1919:

‘For services in connection with the military operations on the North-West Frontier of India.’

Henry de Courcy O’Grady was born in August 1878, the son of Captain Standish de Courcy O’Grady, and scion of a distinguished Irish family that traced its ancestry back to William the Conqueror. Educated at Tonbridge School and the R.M.C., he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in August 1893, prior to joining the Indian Staff Corps in January 1895.

Shortly thereafter appointed to the 59th Scinde Rifles, he was advanced to Captain in August 1902 and served as the first Commandant of the Chitral Scouts in the following year - his portrait still hangs in the Officers’ Mess at Drosh. Having then attended Staff College at Quetta, he was present in the Mohmand operations of May 1908, when he was severely wounded in the action at Kharga on the 24th (Medal & clasp).

Advanced to Major in August 1911, the same year in which he attended the Delhi Durbar, O’Grady was similarly employed on the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914. But senior command beckoned, for he was actively employed out in East Africa with the Sikhs from 1915, initially as a Lieutenant-Colonel and latterly as a Brigadier-General with command of a Brigade.

His services in East Africa are well recorded - references such as Miller’s Battle for the Bundu adding colour to the more bland official accounts of the campaign. As stated, his thick Irish brogue was oft heard echoing along the firing lines and, no doubt, the occasional bark from his dog - spirited leadership that won him a brace of “mentions” (London Gazettes 13 June 1916 and 5 April 1918 refer), in addition to his appointment to Officer of the French Legion of Honour (London Gazette 4 September 1917 refers).

But further accolades were to follow for, on returning to India at the War’s end, he was given command of the 10th Infantry Brigade and saw action in the Zhob Valley and Baluchistan operations - thus his appointment to C.I.E. and another “mention” (London Gazette 3 August 1920 refers). O’Grady was placed on the Retired List in June 1923.

Sold with a quantity of research and original printed copy of an article the recipient wrote for the Army Review - namely an account of Chitral - ‘An Outpost on the North-West Frontier of India’.