Description
India General Service 1854, bar Pegu, Sergeant Thomas Wilson, 2nd European Bengal Fusiliers, aka the Royal Munster Fusiliers.
Officially impressed: “Serjt Thos Wilson 2nd Eur. Bengal Fusrs”
Suspension a little slack, lacquered.
The regiment he served with was called the 2nd Bengal European Fusiliers when he served with them at Pegu in the Anglo-Burmese, this regiment was after the Indian Mutiny absorbed into the British becoming the 104th Regiment of Foot, Bengal Fusiliers, once joining the British Army in 1862. It later became the Royal Munster Fusiliers, when it was created in 1881, having been amalgamated with the 101st Royal Bengal Fusiliers.
There is only one man by this name in the regiment according to the register of European Soldiers in the Bengal Army:
Private Thomas Wilson, 2nd European Regiment, was born in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland.
Having worked as a Clerk, he enlisted in London for a 10 year contract with the Honourable East India Company’s Army on 6th July 1848.
He set off on the Ship Cressy for India arriving during 1848.
He was No 119 and was after the Indian Mutiny, “Discharged by Sanction of Government, and struck off the strength on 25th May 1859.”
It appears that the former Sergeant in 1853, was downgraded to Private, earning the Indian Mutiny Medal, bar Delhi, as Private in the 2nd European Bengal Fusiliers, before his discharge after the war.
Appears to be another “White Mutiny” man who took his discharge after the war, rather than re-enlist following the take-over of the HEIC’s Army by the British Army during 1859.
White Mutiny: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_mutiny
It was recorded that of the 10,116 Officers and Soldiers, just 2,809 chose to re-enlist in the British Army.
