+---------------------------+-----------+-----------+ | |_Officers._| _Men._ | | _Regiments._ +-----+-----+-----+-----+ | | K. | W. | K. | W. | +---------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+ |21st Lancers | 1 | 4 | 20 | 46 | |1st Batt. Grenadier Guards | - | 1 | - | 4 | |1st Batt. 5th Northum. F. | - | - | - | 2 | |1st Batt. 6th R. Warwicks | 1 | 1 | - | 6 | |1st Batt. 10th Lincolns | - | 1 | - | 17 | |2nd Batt. 20th Lancs Fus. | - | - | - | 6 | |72nd Seaforth Highlanders | - | 1 | - | 17 | |79th Cameron Highlanders | - | 2 | 2 | 27 | |2nd Batt. Rifle Brigade | - | - | - | 8 | |Egyptian Army | 2 | 8 | 18 | 273 | +---------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
BATTLE HONOURS FOR SERVICES IN INDIA, 1803-1809
Ally-Ghur, 1803--Delhi, 1803-04--Assaye, 1803--Laswarree, 1803--Deig, 1803-04--Cochin, 1809.
In the _London Gazette_ of February 28, 1851, appeared a notification that Her Majesty the Queen had been graciously pleased to sanction the bestowal of a medal on the survivors of the First Mahratta War of 1803-04. The following clasps were issued with this medal, now generally known as the First Indian General Service Medal. It was also bestowed on the survivors--few, indeed, in numbers--of (1) the siege and capture of Seringapatam, by the force under Lord Harris; (2) the Second Mahratta War, 1817-18; (3) the campaign in Nepaul; (4) and that in Burmah, as well as on (5) the troops who took Bhurtpore, under Lord Combermere, in 1826.
The following clasps were issued with the medal in connection with the First Mahratta War:
1. Ally-Ghur. 2. Delhi.[12] 3. Assaye. 4. Asseerghur. 5. Laswarree. 6. Argaum. 7. Gawilghur. 8. Deig.[13]
The growing power of the Mahrattas and the insolence of the Mahrajah Scindia rendered it necessary for us to strengthen and rectify our frontiers in the North-West of India. Delhi, which for centuries had been the capital of the Mogul Empire, had fallen into the hands of the Mahrattas, and the aged King had been treated with barbarous cruelty. Our own territory, as well as that of our allies, had been invaded. At last Lord Lake, the brilliant leader at Lincelles, who had become Commander-in-Chief in India, determined on action. Scindia was a formidable foe, and it was a matter of doubt as to which of the other Ruling Chiefs would follow him in the field; his troops had been organized and drilled by Frenchmen, many of whom he entrusted with high command, and it was computed that his army numbered 100,000 men, the greater part cavalry. India was a country in which we could take no risks; we were always fighting, as it were, with our backs to the wall, for there was no Suez Canal, nor were there fast steamships to pour reinforcements into the country when necessary. Lord Lake therefore assembled practically the whole of his available army, and advanced simultaneously from the north, south, east, and west.