War Medals and Their HistorySteward, William Augustus
History
War Medals and Their History
Steward, William Augustus
Great Britain. Army -- Medals, badges, decorations, etc.; Great Britain. Royal Navy -- Medals, badges, decorations, etc.
The following troops took part in the march and recapture of Cabul:
9th, 13th, 31st, 40th, and 41st Foot Regiments, and the 3rd Light
Dragoons, who were awarded the medal for Cabul, also the following
regiments in the H.E.I. Co.'s service: 4th, 5th, 6th, and 12th Bengal
Infantry; 1st and 10th Bengal Light Cavalry; 3rd Irregular Cavalry; the
5th company of the Bengal Artillery, and Sappers and Miners.
Three thousand five hundred medals were issued to Europeans for Cabul,
but very few were issued to the 40th Regiment.
=Candahar.=--Major-General Knott's defence of Candahar, if not so
famous as that of Jellalabad by Sir Robert Sale, exhibited the same
tenacity and cool determination. The rebels in the vicinity of Candahar
were led by Prince Sufter Jung, a son of Shah Shoojah, and Prince
Timour; they and their men, however, were helpless in the face of the
little British army that sallied forth on the morning of January 12th,
1842, and routed them. The success of the battle did but keep the enemy
at a respectful distance, for they spent their time in plundering
the villages in the neighbourhood. Bad weather militated against any
further effort on the part of the British general until March 7th,
when he advanced against the rebel Afghans, and again put them to
rout, but while the detachment was engaged in combating one section
of the insurgents, another made a daring attack upon the city; they
were, however, repulsed with considerable loss. Another action was
fought on March 25th, and, with the assistance of the brigade under
Colonel Wymer, the investing enemy was driven in confusion across the
Urghundaub. On April 28th Major-General (later Sir) Richard England,
after attacking the enemy at Hykulzie, successfully reached Candahar,
and enabled Major-General Knott to advance upon Cabul.
"The Fighting Fortieth" was the only British regiment present in the
defence and in the actions outside. It is noteworthy that through
disease the regiment had been considerably reduced before it took
part in the defence of Candahar. Major Biddulph states that only 64
"Candahar" medals were struck for the 40th Foot, and of these 42 were
for the relatives of deceased officers and soldiers, and 22 for sick,
etc., who had returned to India. The 41st, the Welsh Regiment, was the
only British unit that took part in the relief of Candahar. The 5th,
6th, and 12th Bengal Infantry; Poona Horse; 1st Bengal (Skinner's) and
3rd Bombay Cavalry, and Bombay and Bengal Artillery were engaged in the
defence and relief.
Only 130 Europeans received the medal for Candahar.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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