THE INDIAN MUTINY MEDAL TO PRIVATE (LATER SERGEANT) THOMAS COLLARAN (SURNAME ALSO SPELT COLERAN, COLLERAN, COLLEREN, COLLERIN, COLLORAN IN SOME RECORDS) 1ST MADRAS EUROPEAN FUSILIERS, WHO ALSO SAW SERVICE WITH THE INDIAN LOCAL FORCES, 1859-1861 AND VOLUNTEERED TO TRANSFER TO THE BRITISH ARMY IN 1861, WHEN THE EAST INDIA COMPANY'S ARMY WAS DISBANDED, SUBSEQUENTLY SEEING SERVICE WITH 102ND ROYAL MADRAS FUSILIERS (THE POST 1880 1ST BATTALION ROYAL DUBLIN FUSILIERS). Indian Mutiny Medal, 2 clasps, Relief of Lucknow, Lucknow (officially named, impressed in serifed block capitals: THOMAS COLLARAN, 1st MADRAS FUSILIERS.). Naming impressed slightly off-centre at start, upsetting the reverse rim at 3 o'clock, otherwise Good Very Fine.
Medal accompanied 4 pages copied discharge papers (surname spelt Colleren), extracts 1861 and 1871 British Army Worldwide Index (surname spelt Colleran), extracts 1881 and 1891 census (surname spelt Collerin and Colloran respectively) and extract Indian Mutiny Medal roll (surname spelt Coleran).
Thomas Collaran was born in the parish of St Andrews, Glasgow, in 1836. He enlisted into the 1st Madras European Fusiliers on 11/8/1856. At the time of enlistment Colleran was 20 years and 8 months old and gave his trade as carpenter. Following the end of the Indian Mutiny Collaran elected to serve in the "HM Local Indian Forces", 19/7/1859, subsequently transferring to the British Army (102nd Foot) on 16/5/1861 with the rank of Private. Colleran was promoted Corporal, 12/11/1863 and Sergeant, 3/10/1866, and was discharged from the 102nd Foot with the rank of Sergeant on 16/11/1874, after 21 years and 114 days service with the colours (21 years and 108 days pensionable service). I addition to service at home, Collaran saw service for 13 years and 5 months in the East Indies. His is conduct at the time of discharge was described as "Good". Service papers confirm Colleran entitled Indian Mutiny Medal with 2 clasps ("He is in possession of medal and 2 clasps for Bengal Rebellion 1857-58") and that Collaran was also awarded the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal. At the time of discharge Collaran gave his intended place of residence as Southampton.
Collaran is recorded in the 1881 census as a 44 year old Inn Keeper, the Bird and Hand Inn, in the parish of St Mary, Southampton, with his 29 year old wife, 3 daughters and 4 boarders/lodgers. In the 1891 census Collaran is recorded as a 54 year old Army Pensioner resident in Shirley, Millbrook, Hampshire with his 39 year old wife, 3 daughters and a son.
NOTE: The Indian Mutiny Medal roll on Noonan's, based on Kevin Asplin's medal roll, records Collaran (surname spelt Coleran, but same regimental number, 3527) as being entitled to the Lucknow clasp only and also records Collaran as having been "discharged" by the time the roll was drawn up. Both these statements are clearly incorrect. Service papers confirm that Collaran was entitled to a 2 clasp Indian Mutiny Medal and that Collaran continued to serve long after the Indian Mutiny Medal roll had been drawn up.
