THE VICTORIA CROSS, DECORATIONS AND CAMPAIGN MEDALS, AWARDED TO GENERAL SIR JOHN WATSON, 1ST PUNJAB IRREGULAR CAVALRY, HAVE BEEN SOLD AT AUCTION BY SOTHEBY'S OF LONDON.
11 May 1999


( select to enlarge )
Medal entitlement of General Sir John Watson,
1st Punjab Irregular Cavalry.

  • Victoria Cross
  • Knight Grand Cross, Order of the Bath ( GCB )
  • Punjab Medal ( 1848-49 )
    • 2 clasps:
    • "Mooltan" - "Goojerat"
  • Indian Mutiny Medal ( 1857-58 )
    • 3 clasps:
    • "Delhi" - "Relief of Lucknow" - "Lucknow"
  • India General Service Medal ( 1854-95 )
    • 1 clasp:
    • "North West Frontier"
  • Afghanistan Medal ( 1878-80 )
  • Empress of India Medal ( 1877 )


The Victoria Cross, decorations and campaign medals awarded to General Sir John Watson, 1st Punjab Irregular Cavalry, have been sold at auction by Sotheby's of London. The sale hammer price realised £89,500. The VC group was purchased by the Michael Ashcroft Trust the holding institution for the Lord Ashcroft VC Collection and has gone on display in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery, Imperial War Museum, London.


For the award of the Victoria Cross

[ London Gazette, 18 June 1858 ], Lucknow, Indian Mutiny, 14 November 1857, Lieutenant John Watson, 1st Punjab Irregular Cavalry.

Lieutenant Watson, on the 14th November, with his own squadron, and that under Captain, then Lieutenant, Probyn, came upon a body of the rebel cavalry. The Ressaldar in command of them – a fine specimen of the Hindustani Mussulman – and backed up by some half dozen equally brave men, rode out to the front. Lieutenant Watson singled out this fine-looking fellow and attacked him. The Ressaldar presented his pistol at Lieutenant Watson’s breast, at a yard’s distance, and fired; but, most providentially, without effect; the ball must, by accident, have previously fallen out. Lieutenant Watson ran the man through with his sword, and dismounted him; but the native officer, nothing daunted, drew his tulwar, and with his Sowars renewed his attack upon Lieutenant Watson, who bravely defended himself until his own men joined in the melee, and utterly routed the party.

In this rencontre, Lieutenant Watson received a blow on the head from a tulwar, another on the left arm, which severed his chain gauntlet glove, a tulwar cut on his right arm, which fortunately only divided the sleeve of the jacket, but disabled the arm for some time; a bullet also passed through his coat, and he received a blow on his leg, which lamed him for some days afterwards.

( Despatch from Major-General James Hope Grant KCB, dated 10th January 1858 ).

John Watson was invested with his Victoria Cross by Queen Victoria at Buckingham Palace on the 8th June 1859.


John Watson died on the 23rd January 1919 in Finchampstead, Berkshire, and was buried in St James' Churchyard, Finchampstead.

Acquisitions

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Iain Stewart, 11 May 1999