Description
Maharajpoor Star, 29th December 1843, Private Michael Rourke, 40th (2nd Somersetshire) Regiment of Foot.
Officially engraved in running script: “Private Michael Rourke H.M. 40th Regt”
The medal is suspended via a silver ring and straight bar suspension, which is hooked onto the reverse hook, screwed on the back via 2 nuts.
Service Number 945 Private Michael Rourke is shown as present with the 40th Foot during 1841, at the time being stationed at Quettah, Bombay.
The 1841 Army Index shows he had recently been a Drummer with the 40th before becoming Private about that time.
At this time, the 40th Foot had been stationed in India for some years already, and had just taken part in the Capture of Karachi in 1839, during 1841 when he was recorded in the Army Index the 40th were camped at Quetta whilst on their way into Afghanistan, whilst there they experienced one of the worst outbreaks of disease of any regiment of the British Army.
Shortly afterwards they would arrive in Kandahar during October 1841, where they were engaged at the Battle of Kabul under command of General William Nott during August 1842 part of the end of the First Anglo Afghan War.
The regiment returned victorious to India in December 1842, before the Gwalior Campaign broke out the next year.
The Regiment was then engaged at the Battle of Maharajpore on 29th December 1843.
The enemy guns captured in this action were melted down and the Bronze was used to manufacture this medal.
The 40th in Afghanistan and at Maharajpore:
Firstly the “Fighting Fortieth” as they were known, fought though the First Anglo Afghan War of 1839-1842.
During the War, the regiment had arrived in the “Sindh” during January 1839 to fight in the capture of Karachi. They arrived at Kandahar in October 1841 and then they fought with General William Nott’s “Avenging Army” in the Capture of Kabul during 1842.
40TH AT MAHARAJPORE
At the battle of Maharajpore, the Maratha Army had a large force of 14 Battalions, 1000 Artillery men with 60 Guns, with 6000 Cavalry.
Pte Rourke with the 40th Foot was present alongside the 2nd N.I. and 16th Native Infantry forming part of the Central Column.
The Central column advanced to attack where they believed the main enemy force to be located.
However, during the night the Marathas had moved and the British were left surprised as they came under heavy fire from the Maratha Artillery in their new positions.
The central column then received the order to take the battery positions, which they did under continuous heavy fire from shot, grape, canister and chain.
Getting up close and personal, the British engaged the Marathas in hand to hand fighting, both sides taking heavy casualties, they managed to clear the Maratha positions and come out victorious
Few Marathas managed to escape, most chose to fight to the death, total losses for them numbered between 3000-4000 men. The cost for the defeat of the Marathas left 797 men killed, wounded or missing to the British Force.
