Description
Maharajpoor Star, 29th December 1843, Troop Sergeant Major John Hebden, H.M.’s 16th Lancers, for the Battle of Maharajpore during the Gwalior Campaign.
Officially engraved in running script on reverse: “Private John Hebden H.M. 16th Lancers”
Fitted with a custom suspension, the ribbon suspension section being a typical Silver example commonly seen on surviving medals to the 16th Lancers.
Another Maharajpoor Star is known named to this man, sold in Noonans on 13th September 2023, alongside his Sutlej Medal for Aliwal, with bar Sobraon.
The other medals are in poor condition, given that he served 24 years in the Army as a Cavalry NCO.
The naming on this example is engraved in the exact style of the regiment, and features a trademark suspension bar seen to medals issued to the 16th Lancers, it must be some sort of official duplicate issue, sadly no roll exists to check if a replacement was issed.
Troop Sergeant Major John Hebden, 16th Lancers
John was born during 1816 in Deptford, Greenwich, Kent.
He first attested for service with the 16th Lancers on 23rd February 1839, with service number 1280.
He served a long 24 years and 58 days in the army receiving a Discharge “Free, with Pension” on 21st April 1863.
His conduct was flawless he was “Of a good soldier, he was when promoted, in possession of 2 good conduct badges, and had he not been promoted he would have been in possession of 5 good conduct badges.”
They add that he had zero entries in both the Regimental Defaulters Book and was never tried by court martial.
His promotions:
Private, 23rd Feb 1839 – 5th Jan 1845
Promoted to Corporal, 6th Jan 1845 – 4th September 1951
Good Conduct Pay, 1st Jan 1846
Good Conduct Pay, 23rd Feb 1849
Promoted Sergeant, 5th Sept 1851 – 28th August 1855
Promoted to Troop Sergeant Major, 29th August 1855 – 30th April 1857.
Good Conduct Pay, 1st Jan 1857.
Troop Sergeant Major, 1st May 1857 – 21st April 1863.
During his career, not long after joining the Regiment took part in the Siege and Capture of Ghuznee during July 1839 in the First Anglo-Afghan War.
He was present at the Battle of Maharajpore on 29th December 1843.
Following on from this, whilst a Corporal, he was engaged in the First Anglo-Sikh aka Sikh War of 1845-6.
During this war he fought first at the Battle of Aliwal in January 1846, where the regiment charged and dispersed a body of Sikhs who were ten times its size, also fighting in the penultimate Battle of Sobraon on 10th February 1846.
John retired to Sheffield, Yorkshire, where he died during February 1875.
The Sheffield Daily Telgraph reports on 24th Feb 1875:
“Sudden Deaths – On Monday evening last, an old man named John Hebden, 60 years of age, fell down quite exhausted in Langsett-Road, opposite the Butchers’ Arms. He was found to be inseinsible and was breathing heavily. He died in the course of a few minutes. The deceased was a pensioner, having formerly been in a Sergeant Major in the 16th Lancers.”
“The Sudden Death in Langsett Road
An inquest was held last evening, at the Burgoyne Arms, Langsett Road, by Mr D. Wightman, on the body of John Hebden.
The deceased was formerly Sergeant Major in the 16th Lancers. On the previous evening, as he was walking along Langsett Road, he fell down and died almost immediately. Mr Westbrook, Surgeon, made a post mortem examination, and found the death resulted from heart disease. A verdict to this effect was returned.”
