PRIVATE G. WALTERS, 1ST BATTALION 23RD ROYAL WELSH FUSILIERS. Indian Mutiny Medal 1857-58,

THE INDIAN MUTINY MEDAL TO PRIVATE G. WALTERS, 1ST BATTALION 23RD ROYAL WELSH FUSILIERS WHO WAS WOUNDED ON 9TH MARCH 1858 DURING THE RELIEF OF LUCKNOW. Indian Mutiny Medal 1857-58, 2 clasps, Relief of Lucknow, Lucknow (officially impressed: GEO WALTERS, 1st. Bn. 23RD. R.W. FUSrs.). Suspension re-affixed, scattered surface contact marks from other medals, otherwise Very Fine.

4568 Private George Walters, 1st Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers, was wounded at Lucknow, 10/3/1858.

Medal accompanied by 3 pages copied discharge papers and copied extracts from the medal rolls for the Crimea and Indian Mutiny. Crimea Medal Roll confirms recipient also entitled Crimea Medal with Sebastopol Clasp. Indian Mutiny Medal roll confirms medal and clasps. The published casualty roll confirms Walters as having been slightly wounded at Lucknow, 10/3/1858.

On 7/3/1858 the mutineers attacked General Outram’s advance positions around Lucknow. The attacks were quickly driven back. On the following day Outram erected a gun battery, with the object of shelling the mutineers defensive line. The battery opened fire at daybreak on 9th March, after which Outram organised his forces into two columns, one of which included the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, and launched a successful assault on the mutineers’ lines. The Regimental History records the 10th March, the day on which Walters was wounded in action, as being a quiet day. The Royal Welsh Fusiliers spending the day at the Badshah Baqh, which they had been involved in capturing the previous day. That night they provided working and covering parties for a gun battery that was being erected in the Badshah Bagh.

Medal also accompanied by 3 pages photocopied discharge papers. George Walters, born Shepton Mallet, Bristol, Somerset, enlisted into the 1st Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers at Newport, Monmouthshire, 27/11 /1 . At time of enlistment he was 18 wars of age and gave his trade as labourer. Walters never rose above the rank of Private, and was eventually discharged at Cork on 3/4/1876, after 21 years and 151 days with the colours. In addition to service at home, papers confirm 344 days in Malta, 1 year and 83 days in the Crimea and 9 years and 128 days in the East Indies. Walters was discharged as a result of termination of his second period of engagement”. Service papers confirm entitled Crimea Medal with Sebastopol clasp, Turkish Crimea, and Indian Mutiny with Relief of Lucknow and Lucknow clasps. Walters did not receive a Long Service and Good Conduct Medal because, although he had never been court martialed, his name was entered twenty-two times in the Regimental Defaulters Book. At the time of discharge Walters was described as being “pock pitted”, perhaps indicating that he may have contracted smallpox at some time during his military career (smallpox was prevalent at Lucknow during and after the siege). At time of discharge, Walters gave his intended place of residence as Newport, Monmouthshire.