Description
Punjab Medal, 2 bars, Goojerat, Mooltan, India General Service Medal 1854, bar Northwest Frontier, 2397 Private John Willett Mordecai, 1st Battalion 60th Rifles.
Punjab officially impressed: “J. Mordecai, 1st Bn. 60th R. Rifles.”
IGS officially impressed: “2397, J. Mordecai, H.Ms. 1st 60th Regt.”
John Willet Mordecai, was born in Barnwell, Cambridge on 27th August 1824, the son of Charles and Charlotte Mordecai, his father was a Book Agent, he was the eldest son in a large family with 10 siblings.
At 17, he signed up at Cambridge for the 43rd Regiment of Light Infantry on 18th September 1842, out of his future 11 years of service, 9 years 47 days were spent overseas in the “East Indies, Lower and Uper Scinde and the Punjaub from 15th October 1845 to 30th November 1854”.
His service was said to “Have been Good, he is wearing 1 good conduct ring with pay.”
“Present at the siege and capture of Mooltan, 27th December 1848 to 22nd January 1849.
Served on the campaign of the Punjaub in 1849 including the Battle of Goojerat, the surrender of the Rajah Shere Singh and the Sikh Army, the occupation of Attock and Peshawur and the expulsion of the Ameer Dost Mahomet beyond the Khyber Pass.
Medals conferred for services in the Punjab Campaign of 1848/49 and one bar for the Capture of Mooltan and one bar for the Battle of Goojerat.
Served with the expedition to Kohat from 9 to 14 February 1850.”
He had volunteered from the 43rd Light Infantry to join the 1st Bn 60th Regiment of Rifles on 1st July 1844 whom he served with for 10 years.
He was a Bugler for 2 years from 1st July 1854 until 23rd August 1854, being discharged as medically unfit for further service as a Private on 30th November 1854.
In his retirement from the Army he returned back home to Cambridgeshire, he died at 31 Newmarket Road at the age of 63 on 8th October 1887.
