Scinde Campaign Medal (Meanee & Hyderabad), awarded to Pvt. Thomas Nugent, 1843
Obverse, a bust of Queen Victoria |
Reverse, inscription in centre, with a crown above and a laurel wreath around |
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Obverse, a bust of Queen Victoria |
Reverse, inscription in centre, with a crown above and a laurel wreath around |
Sindh, now a province of Pakistan, was added to the British Empire in a campaign under Sir Charles Napier against the Amirs of Afghanistan, who had attacked Hyderabad in protest at the emplacement of a British puppet ruler in the province. Most of the Afghan forces were defeated in a battle at Meanee, but a section under Mir Sher Muhammad Talpur, the so-called `Lion of Sindh', would not surrender, and were defeated at Dubbo near Hyderabad.
The campaign is famous for the signal supposedly sent by Napier on his conquest of the province, "Peccavi", Latin for `I have sinned'. Regrettably for Napier's memory, this pun appears to have originated in Punch magazine.
This medal was awarded to Private Thomas Nugent of the 22nd Regiment, who apparently fought at both Meanee and Dubbo (Hyderabad). Lester Watson purchased his medal at some point before 1928.