Description
Punjab Medal, 2 bars, Goojerat, Chilianwala, Sergeant John Jowit, 3rd Troop 2nd Brigade Heavy Artillery, 21 years service in India, veteran of Maharajpoor, Sutlej and Punjab campaigns. With copy service papers.
Officially impressed: “Gunner John Jowit. 3rd Tp 2nd Bde H. Arty.”
Some contact marking from wearing with his Gwalior star and general wear alongside his Sutlej medal over a very long Army career, on a delicate piece of original silk ribbon.
John Jowit was born in Bradford, Yorkshire during 1822, he attested for service with the Regiment of Royal Artillery with service number 3558 on 6th October 1842. He was swiftly posted to India and joined the Bengal Artillery.
His service sheet states:
“His character is very good
He served in the Gwalior Campaign of 1843, Bronze Star, in the Sutlej Campaign 1845/46, medal and clasp. In the Punjab Campaign 1848/9, Medal and 2 clasps.”
He spent almost 8 years as a Private at first, having a few small setbacks from a Regimental Court Martial on 13th December 1847 spending 20 days imprisoned, with a later District Court Martial where it appears he was pardoned and had it removed from the regimental book.
On 28th November 1851 he was finally promoted to Bombardier, after 161 days he was again promoted to Corporal on 8th May 1852.
2 years later he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant on 29th May 1854.
On 18th February 1861 he volunteered for the Royal Artillery to served his final 2 years, during this time he returned to England for the first time in over 21 years.
Having spent the last 21 years 35 days on service in India, he had only spent 260 days in total at home, when he was granted his discharge having completed 21 years “Having been admitted to Pension by Government General Order No 757 dated 14th August 1862”
He was then discharged from service in September 1862, choosing his intended place of residence in his adopted home of Chennai, East India.
Abilekh-Patal, the National Archives of India has an entry for him in the Military General Orders section dated 16th April 1863, reading: “Permitting Serjeant John Jowit to reside and draw their stipends in India.”
