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Indian Mutiny

Indian Mutiny, bar Delhi, William Ward, 1st Battalion 60th Rifles, Killed in the gallant storming of Delhi on 14th September 1857. A Brief History of the King’s Royal Rifle Corps…

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Indian Mutiny, bar Delhi, William Ward, 1st Battalion 60th Rifles, Killed in the gallant storming of Delhi on 14th September 1857.

 

A Brief History of the King’s Royal Rifle Corps, by Sir E.T.H. Hutton 1912:

 

“Thus began the famous siege of Delhi – a period full of glorious memories to all Sixtieth Riflemen. From then on to the final assault on the city (June the 8th to September the 20th) the Battalion was constantly employed either as outposts near Hindoo Rao’s house, or with the various columns which were sent forward to drive the mutineers back into the city, when, emboldened by the strength of overwhelming numbers, they made repeated assaults upon our position on the ridge, It is recorded that the Regiment was during this period engaged in twenty four separate actions.”

 

The next paragraph is the day Pte Ward was killed in action.
“On the morning of September 14th, after six days of bombardment, two breaches were considered practicable in the walls of the city, one in the curtain to the right of the Cashmere Gate, the other to the left of the water bastion. The assault was delivered at three points, namely upon the two breaches and the Cashmere Gate, while a fourth column followed as reserve. The whole of the Battalion was split up in skirmishing order to cover the advance of the assaulting columns, and in this appropriate and congenial duty they greatly distinguished themselves.

 

The assaults were successful, and after an heroic struggle the city was partially occupied by nightfall. but it was not until 20th September that the place and its defences were completely in the hands of our troops, and then only after continuous and desperate hand to hand fighting in the streets”