Description
Sutlej Medal 1845-1846 for Sobraon, impressed to: “GUNNER M:MCMAHON 2ND BRIGADE H:AY”. VICTORIA REGINA, Diademed head of Queen Victoria left / ARMY OF THE SUTLEJ., Winged Victory stands facing left, laurel wreath within outstretched hand, a collection of trophies at her feet; SOBRAON 1846 in exergue signifying the first participated battle.
Punjab Medal 1848-1849, Clasps: ‘CHILIANWALA’ & ‘GOOJERAT’, impressed to: “GUNNER J. MCMAHON 2ND TP 2ND BDE H. ARTY” – note the incorrect initial. VICTORIA REGINA, Diademed head of Queen Victoria left / TO THE ARMY OF THE PUNJAB, Sir Walter Gilbert atop horseback facing left receiving the Sikh surrender, MDCCCXLIX in exergue, AD 1849 in Roman numerals.
Honourable East India Company Long Service & Good Conduct Medal for Europeans 1848, 2nd issue, anchor reverse, engraved to: “Bombardier Matthew McMahon. 2nd Tp: 2nd Bde Horse Arty 18th Jany 1860”. VICTORIA REGINA, Diademed head of Queen Victoria left / FOR LONG SERVICE AND GOOD CONDUCT, Legend within oak wreath, crown above, anchor below.
Matthew McMahon served as a Gunner of the Second Brigade, Second Troop of the Bengal Horse Artillery, a unit formerly known as the ‘Rocket Troop’ during the Burmese Wars. Originally raised by the Honourable East India Company on the 13th of September 1816, the 132 Battery (Bengal Rocket Troop) Royal Artillery acted foremost as a camel mounted unit under the command of Captain William Samsen Whish, only becoming a Horse Artillery the next year. During the 1824-1826 war in Burma, the Rocket Troop was re-titled as the 2nd Troop, 2nd Brigade Bengal Horse Artillery and would go on to participate in all major campaigns of the 19th and 20th Centuries.
McMahon served with the 2nd Troop, 2nd Brigade at the Battle of Sabraon on the 10th of February 1846, and was amongst the many other British and British Indian regiments to achieve a decisive victory over the Sikh Khalsa Army. As a result, McMahon was awarded this Sutlej Medal for Sabraon – no clasps would be possible with this reverse. Several years later, McMahon served with the 2nd Troop, 2nd Brigade at the Battle of Chillianwala on the 13th of January 1949, one of the bloodiest fought battles by the British East India Company in the Punjab region, modern-day Pakistan.
Although each side would claim victory at Chillianwala, on the 21st of February 1849 the 2nd Troop, 2nd Brigade, amongst the many other regiments, would see action at the Battle of Gujrat and achieve a decisive victory for the British East India Company. It is said that the British forces began with a 3-hour bombardment with approximately 100 guns, driving the enemy forces from their defensive, entrenched positions – after which the many cavalry and horse artillery units stormed the enemy in a pursuit that lasted for at least 4 hours. This strategy resulted in a Sikh loss estimating from 3000-5000 men, with the British forces losing only 96 men and having 700 wounded. The result at Gutjab led to the surrendering of some 20,000 Sikh forces on the 12th of March 1849, and eventually the end to the Second Anglo-Sikh War. McMahon’s participation for each mentioned battle is evident with their respective clasps on his Punjab Medal.
Matthew McMahon would continue to serve with the 2nd Troop, 2nd Brigade of the Bengal Horse Artillery for many years following the Anglo-Sikh Wars, receiving this Long Service and Good Conduct medal. By ‘General Orders’, dated ‘Head Quarters, Camp, Umballah, 18th January 1860’, McMahon, now a bombardier, was to receive a “Silver Medal immediately, and a gratuity of £5 on discharge, in addition to ordinary pension’. This Indian L.S. & G.C. Medal for Europeans was instituted by the Honourable East India Company by General Order on the 20th of May 1848, and was issued to European NCO’s and other ranks of the Indian Army upon discharge after 21 years meritorious service. It was eventually discontinued in 1873 after which the standard Army LSGC medal was granted. The L.S. G.S. medal accompanying Matthew McMahon’s Anglo-Sikh War Service medals is a type II variant bearing the diademed head of Queen Victoria on the obverse and a simple oak wreath reverse with an anchor below – only approximately 100 of these medals were issued with the ‘Anchor’ reverse, marking it very scarce as such. Further to this, it may be concluded that McMahon had served for at least 21 years at the point of his discharge in 1860.
Medals mounted on an attractive silver bar, with usual surface contact marks as a result of wearing. A fine and scarce L.S. & G.S. Anchor type group of 3 to a Gunner, later Bombardier, of the Bengal Horse Artillery who participated at the concluding battle of the Second Anglo-Sikh War. Very Fine and scarce.