Two Victorian military medals, named to Lieut. W. C. Ormsby....

Hammer

£2,300

Two Victorian military medals, named to Lieut. W. C. Ormsby. 63rd Regt. N.I., comprising Army of India Medal, 1851, with two clasps, Ava and Bhurtpoor and Sutlej Medal, 1846, with Sobraon clasp. One of only 13 men to receive the Ava and Bhurtpoor clasp combination (2)
William Carelton Ormsby was a cadet in the Bengal Establishment in 1821 and was commissioned as ensign in the 32nd Native Infantry in 1822. He transferred to the 63rd Native Infantry (Mynpoori Levy) in 1824 and was appointed Lieutenant in January 1825. He took part in the first Burma War in Arakan in 1825 and at the siege of Bharatpur in 1825/26. He was made captain on 20th January 1835 and took part in the First Sikh War at Ferozhahr and Sobraon in 1846 where he was wounded. In 1853 he returns home, now a Brevet Major, on a medical certificate but on 15th November of that year is appointed Major with the newly raised 3rd Bengal European Regiment. He's appointed Brevet Lt. Col on 20th June 1854 and retires in September 1855. He died in Plymouth aged 70 in 1875.
Note: Robert Puddester's "Medals of British India" lists Ormsby and notes that only 13 medals were issued with the Ava/Bhurtpoor combination, with W.C Ormbsy being one of just 11 Honourable East India Company officers to receive it.
Both of these medals appear to have been mounted or brooched then re-suspendered at some time in their history with corresponding marks and naming obscured/re-engraved in some areas, please see photographs.
It seems likely that these and the previous lot (Lieut. A.H. Ormsby) were from the same family and so it is perfectly understandable that they would have been treated in the same way. Whether this was as jewellery, menu holders or for another reason we cannot say.