THE REGIMENTALLY UNIQUE AND RARE CLASP COMBINATION ARMY OF INDIA MEDAL 1799-1824 TO CAPTAIN JAMES BLAND, 1ST (THE ROYAL SCOTS) REGIMENT, THE ONLY MAN FROM THE THE ROYAL SCOTS, OFFICER OR OTHER RANK, AWARDED THE ASSEERGHUR CLASP AND ONE OF ONLY TWO RECIPIENTS OF THE ARMY OF INDIA MEDAL WITH THE CLASPS ASSEERGHUR AND NAGPORE, CAPTAIN BLAND ALSO BEING WOUNDED IN ACTION AT BOTH NULLYGHAUM AND ASSEERGHUR.
Army of India Medal 1799-1826, Indian striking with long hyphen reverse, 2 clasps, Asseerghur, Nagpore (officially named, impressed "Indian" style in serifed capital letters: CAPTAIN. BLAND 1ST. ROYALS). Extremely Fine.
Medal accompanied by biographical details, extracts Army Lists of the period, extracts Canon's and Wetherall's histories of the Roya Scots, giving details of Captain Bland's services during the Second Maratha War, 1803-1805, and the Pindari and Third Maratha War, 1814-1816, along with extracts medal roll, confirming medal and clasps, that Captain Bland was the sole recipient from the Royal Scots of the Asseerghur clasp, and that only three Army of India Medals with the clasps Asseeghur and Nagpore was issued.
James Bland (1791-1865) was born 21/2/1791 in Edinburgh. He was first commissioned Ensign, Royal Scots, 4/9/1804, promoted Lieutenant, 25/8/1809, Captain, 12/2/1826 and retired on half pay on 23/12/1831. Captain Bland was subsequently appointed Adjutant, Royal Aberdeenshire Militia, 27/3/1834 and was appointed Paymaster, Royal Abeerdeenshire Militia, 26/2/1855. Captain Bland died in 1865 in St. Saviour, Jersey, Channel Islands, aged 74.
Army Lists of the period confirm that "Captain Bland served in the Maratha War including the capture of Nagpore and Asseerghur, commanded two companies of the Royals at the taking of the Hill Forts in Candeish, received a contusion on the head from a matchlock ball Nullyghaum and was severely wounded in the leg at Asseerghur."
In the biographical sketch for Captain Bland on Ancestry it is stated that he also saw service in the Crimea. This is incorrect, whoever compiled that biographical sketch confusing Captain Bland with another officer of the same name.
Only two men awarded the Army of India Medal with clasps Asseerghur and Nagpore, Captain Bland (medal roll gives rank as Lieutenant), and Lieutenant Boyce Combe of the 2nd Native Light Infantry.
The Army of India Medal 1799-1826 with 2 clasps, Asseerghur, Nagpore, to Lieutenant Boyce Comb of the 2nd Native infantry, was sold by Noonans on 25th March 2013 (lot 38). That medal to a native infantry officer, rather than a British Army infantry officer, when sold over ten years ago in 2013, realised £4,100 (£5,280 approx including auctioneer's fees, etc).
