THE INDIAN MUTINY MEDAL AWARDED TO PRIVATE E. RODDEN, 95TH (DERBYSHIRE) REGIMENT (THE POST 1880 2ND BATTALION THE SHERWOOD FORESTERS), WOUNDED IN ACTION AT THE CAPTURE OF THE FORTRESS OF GWALIOR, 19/6/1858 AND WHO HAD PREVIOUSLY SEEN SERVICE

THE INDIAN MUTINY MEDAL AWARDED TO PRIVATE E. RODDEN, 95TH (DERBYSHIRE) REGIMENT (THE POST 1880 2ND BATTALION THE SHERWOOD FORESTERS), WOUNDED IN ACTION AT THE CAPTURE OF THE FORTRESS OF GWALIOR, 19/6/1858 AND WHO HAD PREVIOUSLY SEEN SERVICE IN THE CRIMEA. Indian Mutiny Medal, 1 clasp, Central India (officially impressed: EDWd. RODDEN, 95th. REGt.). Surface contact marks, scattered rim bruises and edge nicks, otherwise Good Very Fine.

General Sir Julius Raines, in his “The 95th (The Derbyshire) Regiment in Central India” records the 95th Foot as having sustained 2 men killed and 3 officers and 14 other ranks wounded in action at the capture of Gwalior, the other ranks including Rodden.

Medal accompanied by 4 pages of copied service papers, copied extracts from Crimea and Indian Mutiny medal rolls and Indian Mutiny casualty roll, along with extracts from Chelsea Pensioners records (admissions and discharges books) and extract from 1911 census return.

Edward Rodden was born in the parish of Cloonmany, Cardonagh, Co. Donegal. He originally enlisted into the 54th (West Norfolk) Regiment (the post 1880 2nd Battalion The Dorsetshire Regiment) at Ballymena, Co. Antrim, on 8/1/1850. At the time of enlistment, Rodden was 17 years and 8 months old, and gave his trade as that of labourer. Rodden transferred to the 95th Foot on 1/8/1850. He never rose above the rank of Private, and was eventually discharged at Gosport on 12/12/1871. At the time of discharge Rodden was 39 years and 6 months old, and gave his intended place of residence as Portsmouth. Service papers, Indian Mutiny medal roll and Casualty roll all confirm Rodden as having been slightly wounded at the capture of the fortress of Gwalior on 19/6/1858, service papers stating “wounded slightly by spent ball on the neck 19 June 1858”.

Service papers confirm Rodden as also having seen service in the Crimea, and medal rolls confirm he was awarded the Crimea Medal with 2 clasps, Alma and Sebastopol. He would also have been entitled to the Turkish Crimea Medal.

On retirement from the Army Rodden was admitted as a Chelsea Pensioner, his application for a pension being made on 27/11/1871. Rodden is recorded in the 1911 census as a 78 year old “in pensioner” resident at the Royal Hospital, Chelsea. Rodden died on 1/4/1913.