THE INDIAN MUTINY MEDAL TO CAPTAIN H.C. CHESTER, 29TH (WORCESTERSHIRE) REGIMENT (THE POST 1880 1ST BATTALION WORCESTERSHIRE REGIMENT) WHO ALSO SAW SERVICE WITH BOTH THE 27TH FOOT AND THE 29TH FOOT DURING THE INDIAN MUTINY, ONLY TRANSFERRING TO THE 27TH (INNISKILLING) REGIMENT DURING THE FINAL MONTHS OF THE MUTINY, AND AFTER RESIGNING HIS COMMISSION SAW SERVICE WITH THE LEICESTERSHIRE MILITIA. Indian Mutiny Medal, no clasp (an officially named late issue medal, engraved in serifed block capitals, in the same style as that seen on a number of other late issue medals known to have been issued in the early 1860s to army officers: CAPn. H.C. CHESTER. 29TH. REGt.). Few small scattered rim nicks, otherwise attractively toned, Good Very Fine and with what appears to be a length of original ribbon.
Medal accompanied by biographical details, extract from "Who Was Who", extracts Army Lists and London Gazettes of the period and medal roll extracts (2, original and published), confirming no casp Indian Mutiny Medal.
Heneage Charles Bagot-Chester (1834-1912) was born on 12/2/1834 in Radcliffe, Leicestershire, the second son of Lieutenant-General John Bagot-Chester, Royal Artillery. He was first commissioned Ensign, 27th Foot (by purchase) on 16/8/1850, and promoted Lieutenant (by purchase) 28/5/1852, the then Lieutenant Chester being recorded in the regimental history as one of the 32 officers and 740 other ranks from the 27th Foot who sailed from Cork for India in 1854, accompanied by 92 women and 140 children camp followers. In India, Chester was promoted Captain, 27th Foot, 12/10/1857, and exchanged to the 29th Foot on 12/11/1858 during the closing stages of the Indian Mutiny. some 9 months prior to the 8/7/1850 formal declaration of the cessation of Indian Mutiny related hostilities. Captain Chester retired from the army, by the sale of his commission, on 2/12/1862. In retirement he was appointed Adjutant, Leicestershire Militia, 27/2/1863.
In retirement, Captain Chester was a Justice of the Peace for Suffolk and contested the Lowestoft, Suffolk, constituency in the 1885 general election. Who Was Who records his home addresses as Zetland House, Maidenhead and Centre Cliff, Southwold, Suffolk. Captain Chester, a member of the Carlton and Junior United Service Clubs, died on 9/8/1912.
Both the original and published medal rolls record Captain Chester being awarded an Indian Mutiny Medal for service with the 27th Foot, the original roll being dated London, 17/6/1868.
The Indian Mutiny Medal claims for the 27th Foot, some 834 in number, are contained in three rolls: Effective Officers (i.e. still serving), listing 7 officers and dated Dover 29/7/1868; Effective Men, numbering approximately 289 men, dated London 26/6/1868; and Non-Effective Officers and Men (dead, retired, discharged, etc) numbering approximately 538 claims, dated London 26/6/1868. Captain Chester's name is contained in the list of Non-Effective Officers and Men.
The Indian Mutiny Medals awarded to officers and men of the 27th Foot were not distributed until 1869, fully twelve years after they had taken part in the campaign for which the medals were awarded, the medals to the 205 officers and men who had seen service with the regiment during the Indian Mutiny and were still serving being presented to them at a parade at Chatham in July 1869. The medal roll records that Captain Chester's medal, Captain Chester having retired by July 1869, was forwarded him at the the Junior United Services Club, Charles Street, London. Since Captain Chester was not initially entitled to an Indian Mutiny Medal for service with the 27th Foot during the Mutiny, he must have eventually applied for a late issue medal for his services with the 29th Foot during the Indian Mutiny, with his medal being therefore named to the 29th Foot. It would thus appear that he was the recipient of two medals, one named to the 27th Foot and this medal, named to the 29th Foot.
During the Mutiny officers and men from the 27th Foot saw service in the Peshawar Valley in 1857. Whilst there they were witness to the mass execution of some 40 mutineers from the 55th Native Infantry, who were executed in the "traditional" Indian manner, being strapped to the muzzles of guns and blown to pieces.
Whilst stationed in the Peshawar Valley, a number of men from the 27th Foot volunteered for service with what became known as the Peshawar Light Horse. That unit was raised by Captain Fane of the 87th Foot and had a total strength of 2 officers, 4 sergeants and 84 men, mounted on horses from disbanded Indian cavalry regiments. The regimental history of the 27th Foot records that the regiment provided 3 sergeants, 1 drummer and 57 privates for service with the Peshawar Light Horse. The unit was not disbanded until 1861, and in addition to seeing service during the Indian Mutiny also saw service on the North West Frontier of India during the Sitana campaign of 1858 (with 30 members of the Peshawar Light Horse recorded as being present during that latter campaign), with men of the unit being awarded the Indian Mutiny Medal and/or the India General Service Medal 1854 with North West Frontier clasp. Indian Mutiny Medals to men from the 27th Foot who saw service with the Peshawar Light Horse are named to their parent regiment, 27th Foot, whilst their India General Service Medals are named to the Peshawar Light Horse. The medal roll for the North West Frontier clasp to the India General Service Medal records 4 men from the 27th Foot as being entitled. A group of two medals, Indian Mutiny and India General Service Medal, is known to 2942 Private Patrick Burke of the 27th Foot who saw service with the Peshawar Light Horse. His Mutiny Medal is named to the 27th Foot, whereas his India General Service Medal is named to the Peshawar Light Horse.
