Lot 15
India General Service Medal 1854-95
At Sea, On Land & In The Air | M24003
Auction: 24 September 2024 at 18:30 BST
Description
India General Service Medal 1854-95, one clasp, Persia, awarded to Midshipman F. Dawkins, Indian Marine Ship Ajdaha S.F., (F. Dawkins, Midshipn. Ajdaha, S.F.), lightly toned very fine (1)
Extract - A Maritime History of India' by Rear Admiral K Sridharan (Government of India, 1982)
The British and Indian Army marched towards the fort at Reshire (about 4-1 1 2 miles south of Bushire), while the ships advanced along the coast in support. The Assaye, closed inshore to a range of 1700 yards and opened up her broadsides on the fort at Reshire, which was then taken by the marching troops.
In the meantime, the Assyria took the British Political Agent through the intricate channel leading to Bushire, with the hope of summoning the enemy to surrender. Instead, the ship met with a sharp volley from the shore and beat a hasty retreat.
On the night of December 9, the anchorage was buoyed by the boats of the fleet and on the following morning the FalMand, Ajdaha, Berenice and Victoria, and the 8 heavy armed gunboats took position and bombarded the outer defences of the town. The entire fleet then moved up as close to the shore as the drafts of ships would permit, which ranged between 15 and 16 feet, and commenced engaging the static defences ashore. The Ferooz had the distinction of being the nearest ship from shore in the 14-foot channel which had been buoyed overnight. The Persians replied the firing with determination, from as many as 59 guns mounted on the battery, but the range of most were not sufficient to reach the ships. The exchange of fire went on, for over 4 hours, but by noon the shore guns were silenced ; the town surrendered to the approaching Army. The Indian Navy suffered considerable damage in hull, mast and rigging, but not severe enough to incapacitate them ; there were no personnel casualties.
