THE CAMPAIGN MEDALS, WITHOUT THE VICTORIA CROSS, AWARDED TO LIEUTENANT DUNCAN HOME, BENGAL ENGINEERS, HAVE BEEN SOLD AT AUCTION BY BALDWIN'S.
28 September 2016

Medal entitlement of Lieutenant Duncan Home,
Bengal Engineers

  • ( Victoria Cross )
  • Punjab Medal ( 1848-1849 )
    • 2 clasps:
    • "Mooltan" - "Goojerat"
  • Indian Mutiny Medal ( 1857-1858 )
    • 1 clasp:
    • "Delhi"


The two campaign medals awarded to Lieutenant Duncan Home VC, Bengal Engineers, have been sold at auction by Baldwin's of London on the 28th September 2016. ( The Victoria Cross does not accompany the campaign medals and its whereabouts is not known ). The sale of the medals realised a hammer price of £22,000.


As Duncan Home and Philip Salkeld died before the official approval by the Queen they were in theory not eligible for the award of the Victoria Cross. They were, however, treated as Clause 7 'on the spot awards' hence the reference in the citation preamble. The last sentence of the citation seems unnecessary and rather clouds the issue as both awards were later ratified.


For the award of the Victoria Cross

[ London Gazette, 18 June 1858 ], Kashmir Gate, Delhi, Indian Mutiny, 14 September 1857, Lieutenant Duncan Charles Home, Bengal Engineers.

Lieutenants Duncan Charles Home and Philip Salkeld, Bengal Engineers, upon whom the Victoria Cross was provisionally conferred by Major-General Sir Archdale Wilson Bart, KCB for their conspicuous bravery in performance of the desperate duty of blowing in the Cashmere Gate of the Fortress of Delhi, in broad daylight, under a heavy fire of musketry, on the morning of the 14th September 1857, preparatory to the assault, would have been recommended to Her Majesty for confirmation in that distinction, had they survived.

Duncan Home's Victoria Cross was sent to his father on the 7th July 1858.


Duncan Home was killed at Malagarh on the 1st October 1857 whilst laying a mine and was buried in the Birlaspur Cemetery, Bulandshahr, Near Aligarh.


Four awards of the Victoria Cross were made to the party that blew up the Kashmir Gate at Delhi on the 14th September 1857.

  • Lieutenant Duncan Home, Bengal Engineers
  • Lieutenant Philip Salkeld, Bengal Engineers
  • Sergeant John Smith, Bengal Sappers & Miners
  • Bugler Robert Hawthorne, 52nd Regiment

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Iain Stewart, 28 September 2016