THE VICTORIA CROSS AWARDED TO LIEUTENANT PETER GILL, LUDIHANA REGIMENT, INDIAN ARMY, HAS BEEN ACQUIRED BY THE LORD ASHCROFT VC COLLECTION.
14 August 2023


Medal entitlement of Lieutenant Peter Gill,
Ludihana Regiment

  • Victoria Cross
  • Sutlej Medal ( 1845-46 )
    • Reverse: "Sabraon 1846"
  • Punjab Medal ( 1848-49 )
    • 2 clasps:
    • "Chilianwala" - "Goojerat"
  • Indian Mutiny Medal ( 1857-58 )


The Victoria Cross awarded to Lieutenant Peter Gill, Ludihana Regiment, has been acquired privately by the Lord Ashcroft VC Collection. The whereabouts of the campaign medals is not known.

The Victoria Cross had previously been sold at auction by Spink on the 22 November 2012 and realised a sale hammer price of £70,000. The identity of the purchase was not revealed at the time.


For the award of the Victoria Cross

[ London Gazette, 24 August 1858 ], Benares, Indian Mutiny, 4 June 1857, Sergeant Major Peter Gill, Ludihana Regiment.

This Non-Commissioned Officer also conducted himself with gallantry at Benares, on the night of the 4th of June 1857.

He volunteered, with Serjeant-Major Rosamond, of the 37th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry, to bring in Captain Brown, Pension Paymaster, and his family, from a detached Bungalow to the Barracks, as above recorded, and saved the life of the Quartermaster-Sergeant of the 25th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry, in the early part of the evening, by cutting off the head of the Sepoy who had just bayonetted him.

Serjeant-Major Gill states, that on the same night he faced a Guard of 27 men, with only a Serjeant’s sword; and it is also represented that he twice saved the life of Major Barrett, 27th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry, when attacked by Sepoys of his own Regiment.

Peter Gill was invested with his Victoria Cross in February 1859 in India. By whom and the location is not known.


Peter Gill died, aged 52, on the 24th October 1868 at Morar, India, and was buried in the Artillery Lines Cemetery, Gwalior. His grave is unmarked.

Acquisitions

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Iain Stewart, 14 August 2023