Role of Rattray's Sikhs

[singhdicate]

INDIAN MUTINY MEDAL
No - clasp
PRIVATE INDUR 1ST. BATTN B’ MILY POLICE
AFGHANISTAN 1878-79-80 Medal
No - clasp
SUBR. INDUR 45TH REGT. N.I.
Mutiny medal to the original Rattray Battalion. 45th Sikhs
As per the 1880 IAL
Entered service 27th Feb. 1856
Jemadar 1st May. 1874
Subadar 1st May. 1880

The Government in India decided in 1855 to raise a Corps of Military Police to control the Lower Provinces of Bengal, east of Behar where a rebellion had broken out. The person chosen to raise this body of men was Captain Thomas Rattray of the 64th Regiment of Bengal Infantry, who was currently commanding the Viceroy’s Body-Guard.
It was decided that the Bengal Military Police Battalion should be raised in the Punjab, where a large number of ex-soldiers of the old Sikh Army, who had fought the British, were available
Eighteen months before the Mutiny, Captain Thomas Rattray had recruited at Lahore the Bengal Military Police Battalion of Sikhs, Muslims and Dogras for service in the aboriginal tract of the Santal Parganahs of Bihar.
More popularly known as "Rattray's Sikhs", when the Dinapore Brigade mutinied they were the only troops, save the Lincolnshire Regt, between Calcutta and Benares. Every man volunteered his services, which were availed of to the full, and no corps did more - few as much - as did "Rattray's Sikhs" to restore the authority of the established government in Bihar. The outstanding epic was the defense of the house at Arrah from July 29th to August 2nd, 1857, by 11 civilians and 50 Sikh soldiers of "Rattray's" against 2000 armed mutineers and a vast rabble of insurgent peasantry

gurmit

[Mark]

Gurmit

A lovely medal pair, thanks for posting. How easy do you find it to research medals to the Indian Army?

Mark

[singhdicate]

Mark,

researching medals to the Indian Army is difficult at the best of times ... Victorian campaigns are especially tricky as it's difficult to get your hands on
the appropriate Indian Army lists, even then only senior ranks are listed (ie. Jemadar, Subadar, etc.)

our enjoyment lies in researching the particular regiments & campaigns.

gurmit

[Mark]

Thanks for that Gurmit, I have often found medals to members of the HEIC and later Indian Army fascinating and I think they are overlooked by too many collectors. However the only thing that has put me off obtaining a few examples is the fact that research is very difficult. That said, and like you say, if you research the actions and whereabouts of the regiments themselves you can at least form a reasonable idea of where you man may have served and fought.

Mark