CAPTAIN (LATER COLONEL) W.C. HICKS, 3RD BENGAL NATIVE INFANTRY. Punjab Medal 1848-49, no clasp (officially named, impressed in serifed block capitals: CAPTn. W.C. HICKS, 3RD. BENGAL N.I.). Extremely Fine, virtually as struck and with a length of original ribbon.
Medal accompanied by a superb, fine quality, heavy gauge silver mounted commemorative tiger claw brooch, comprising a tiger claw mounted with a three dimensional naturalistically modelled Bengal tiger advancing right through vegetation, cast and chased in high relief, the tiger claw with small silver plaque additionally affixed bearing the engraved date "4TH. MAY 1874", stout brooch pin affixed to reverse, weight 29.1 grams including tiger claw.
Medal accompanied by biographical details, 8 pages copied East India Company service admission papers, copied extracts Hodson's "List of Officers of the Bengal Army, 1758-1834" and extracts Indian Army Lists (East India Register and Directory) of the period, and extract 1871 census return.
William Charles Hicks was born at Padbury, Buckinghamshire, 8th January 1809 (baptised 22nd February 1809), the third son of John William Hicks, of Ilfracombe and of Lincoln's Inn, and sometime of Lansdown Crescent, Bath, and of the Isle of Jamaica. Colonel Hicks graduated from the East India Company seminary at Addiscombe on 4th May 1824 (the date on the brooch that accompanies this medal being the 50th anniversary of his graduation). He was appointed Cadet, 1824, Ensign, 23rd January 1825; arrived in India 5th June 1825; Lieutenant, 8th May 1826; Captain, 19th April 1839; Major 3rd October 1851; Lieutenant-Colonel, 26th October 1855; and retired, 10th September 1855, with the rank of Colonel. Hicks first saw service as Ensign, 67th Native Infantry, in 1825; transferred to 3rd Native Infantry in 1826; transferred back to 67th Native Infantry 30th May 1826; transferred to 15th Native Infantry, 30th September 1829, and saw service with the 15th Native Infantry in the expedition against the Shekhawatis in 1834 (the Shekhawatis were a predatory tribe occupying land to the north east of Jodphur). That expedition was carried out by what was known as the Shekhawati Brigade, comprising cavalry, two infantry battalions and artillery, which was put into the field at the expense of the Maharajah of Jodphur. The various strongholds of the rebellious tribal chieftains were occupied and destroyed and the countryside garrisoned to deter further trouble (no medal issued for this campaign).
At the conclusion of the Shekhawati campaign Hicks was appointed Lieutenant, 3rd Native Infantry, 1834 and subsequently appointed Lieutenant and Quartermaster, 8th Light Cavalry, 19th May 1836;promoted Lieutenant and Adjutant, 3rd Native Infantry, 19/2/1837 and Captain, 3rd Native Infantry, 19/4/1839 (furlough, 23rd January 1840 till 12th October 1842).
Hicks saw service during the Second Sikh War, Jullundur Doab 1848-9, including the assault on the Heights of Dallaas, as Captain, 3rd Native Infantry, with Brigadier-General Wheeler's force. Hicks was promoted Major, 2/10/1851, Lieutenant-Colonel 26/10/1855 and retired with the rank of Honorary Colonel, 10/9/1855.
Colonel Hicks married at Walcot, Bath, 31st August 1854, Catherine, youngest daughter of John Stedman, of The Royal Crescent, Bath. He is recorded in the 1871 census as a 62 year old retired Colonel, Indian Army, resident in Westbury on Trym, Shirehampton, Gloucestershire, with his 49 year old wife Catherine, a 9 year old daughter and three servants. Colonel Hicks died at Boulogne-sur-Mer, France, 9th January 1882. He left a personal estate in England valued at £1,825.
There is an error in the biographical sketch for Colonel Hicks on Ancestry, which gives his place of death incorrectly as Shropshire.
Colonel Hicks was the brother of Major General John William Hicks, 69th Bengal Native Infantry.
The 3rd Bengal Native Infantry played only a brief part in the Punjab campaign of 1848-9, initially seeing service in Brigadier General Sir Colin Campbell's 9th Brigade (brigaded with 61st Foot), 4th Division. That Division had an existence of only a fortnight, after which it was broken up, and it's regiments struck off the strength of the Army of the Punjab.
Subsequently, the 3rd Bengal Native Infantry formed part of Brigadier-General Wheeler's Jullundur Doab force, which was constantly engaged with parties of the enemy, including the actions at the forts of Rangar Nagal, October 14th 1848, and Kalalwalla, November 22nd and 23rd, 1848; actions at Amb, 2nd December 1848 and Budi Pind, December 28th 1848; and at the Heights of Dalla, 16th January 1849.
The Punjab Medal was Colonel Hicks's sole entitlement.
