Meritorious Service Medal Groups from the Collection of Ian McInnes

Three: Pay Master Sergeant J. Whittingham, 65th Foot

New Zealand 1845-1866, reverse dated 1860-1865 (210, 65th Regt.); Army L.S. & G.C., V.R., small letter reverse (210 Py. Mr. Sgt., 65th Foot); Army Meritorious Service Medal, V.R. (P.M. Sejt., 65 Foot Regt.) some contact wear and edge bruising, otherwise very fine and better (3) £600-800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Meritorious Service Medal Groups from the Collection of Ian McInnes.

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Joseph Whittingham was born at Dunstall, Staffordshire and served briefly with the 75th Foot before joining the 65th Foot at Liverpool in June 1859, aged 18 years. Subsequently actively employed out in New Zealand, following an early stint in the cells for disobedience, he served in the Taranaki operations of 1860-61 and in the Waikato operations of 1863-65, and gained advancement to Sergeant in 1866.

Transferring to a more clerical role on his return to the U.K., as a Pay Master Clerk, Whittingham received his New Zealand Medal at a parade in Fermoy, Ireland in June 1870. In the following year, having been advanced to Pay Master Sergeant, he sailed with his regiment for India, arriving there six weeks later after a journey that included a two day camel-crossing of the Suez isthmus. Variously employed at Agra, Lucknow and Dinapore, he received his L.S. & G.C. Medal in January 1877 and returned home to be discharged at Netley in late 1879. Whittingham received his M.S.M. in November 1899 and died in April 1905; see Ian McInnes’ The Annuity M.S.M. 1847-1953, First Supplement for further details and photograph.