An emotive Officer casualty India General Service Medal 1854-1905, 2 Clasps: Samana 1891, Burma 1885-7, officially engraved in running script awarded to Captain D.W. Hickman, 1st Bengal Infantry , later 34th Native Bombay Infantry (Pioneers) who was killed by a long range sniper near Landi Kotal on 3rd January 1898 during the Tirah Campaign, one of just 3 casualties suffered by the regiment. He was described as an officer that the regiment could ill spare and as a great loss, the C.O. stating in a Regimental Order ‘that all ranks are mourning with him the great loss the 34th Pioneers have had today.’
India General Service Medal 1854-1895, 2 Clasps: Samana 1891, Burma 1885-7, officially engraved in running script; (Capt. D.W. Hickman, 1st Bl. Infy.). Clasps listed in order fitted, with lugs missing from top clasp.
Condition: clasps listed in order fitted, with lugs missing from top clasp, attractively toned, Extremely Fine
Along with:
Studio portrait photograph of Hickman, seated full length in the uniform of a 2nd Lieutenant, 4th Foot, holding sword and with 1869-1878 pattern 4th Foot shako on table beside him, circa 1875, approx. 5.5. inches high,
A good quality, shoulder length, miniature portrait of Hickman in uniform and wearing two India General Service Medals for 1854), 2.5. inches high, painted circa 1891, this housed in contemporary gilt mounted ebonised frame – some damage to frame.)
Studio photograph of the memorial tablet erected in St. Paul’s Church, Ambala which bears the following inscription:
‘In memory of my beloved husband, Devereux Walter Hickman, Major, 34th Pioneers, formerly D.A.A.G. Umballa, who was killed in action during the Tirah Campaign near Landi Kotal on 3rd January 1898, aged 40 years.’
Devereux Walter Hickman was first commissioned Second Lieutenant, 4th Foot (the post 1880 Royal Lancaster Regiment) He transferred to the Indian Army in 1876, with the rank of Lieutenant, 1st Bengal Native Infantry, 11th February 1876. He saw service with the 1st Bengal Native Infantry for some eleven years, being promoted Captain, 11th February 1887. Hickman transferred to the 34th Native Bombay Infantry (Pioneers), with the rank of Captain on 1st July 1887.
Major Hickman first saw active service during the Burma campaign of 1885-87 with the 1st Bengal Native Infantry (awarded medal and clasp), and subsequently during the Samana campaign of 1891 with the 34th Bengal Native Infantry (awarded clasp). He would be appointed Deputy Assistant Adjutant General, Punjab on 21st January 1892. His final campaign was to be the Tirah campaign of 1897-98 (also entitled to IGS Medal 1895).
The history of the Sikh Pioneers states:
‘The fortified serai at Landi Kotal was found completely wrecked; only the walls were standing, and every scrap of wood and iron roofing had been carried away. The Kafila serai was in a like condition, and the water supply of Tangi and the Ulus well had been badly damaged. The water-pipes had all been picked open at the joints, and many of them destroyed. Fortunately, the large open tanks outside the serai were full of water and uninjured.
It is important to remember these details as they have been given, for the reason that the Pioneers were employed later on in their repair. For the moment, however, a much more urgent duty remained to be carried out – namely the collection of forage and the despatch of flying columns to the neighbouring villages to effect their destruction or bring about the submission of their inhabitants. With these objects in view and the additional one of getting into communication with the 1st Division via the Bori Pass a column including the 34th set out from Landi Kotal, on the 27th December up the Bori Valley. The road was found to be extremely difficult, and quite unfit for the march of the 1st Division.
Two days later Brigadier Hammond again led the flying column out to destroy some villages and blow up towers. Wali Khel was visited and thence working homewards some twenty-two towers and their defences were destroyed. During the retirement the rearguard became hotly engaged, having three British officers wounded, three men killed and eleven wounded. The 34th having been detailed for the destruction of the towers were with the main body this day and suffered no casualties.
On the first day of 1898 a regular system of convoys and piquetting down the Khaiber began, and the 34th were employed on the latter duty as far as the Shintara Spur. At 3.30pm when the piquets were being withdrawn the enemy followed up the retirement and the regiment lost one Sepoy killed and one wounded, while a follower was also wounded. But no amount of piquetting in a narrow mountain valley can prevent stray parties getting down to rush in. This is what happened on the 3rd January 1898, when the 34th again went out on their turn of piquetting duty. After having been posted at 11am and having sat on the hilltops without any molestation all day suddenly on the beginning of the retirement at 3.30pm, the piquets were closely followed by parties of the enemy from the Nikki Khel villages. While passing these villages Major Hickman was killed by a long range shot fired into the rearguard. There were no other casualties but his loss was a very severe one to the regiment, and the following Regimental Order was published:
‘’It is with the deepest regret that the officer commanding has to announce to the regiment the death of Major D.W. Hickman, 2nd in Command, killed in action. He was an officer that the regiment could ill spare and is a great loss, and the C.O. knows that all ranks are mourning with him the great loss the 34th Pioneers have had today.’
Major Hickman was one of just 3 casualties to the 34th Bengal Native Infantry for the Tirah campaign of 1897-98, the other two casualties being Sepoys, both shot dead on 1st January 1898. Hickman is one of 23 British officers recorded as having been killed in action during the Tirah campaign by Colonel M.D. Hutchinson in his ‘The British and Indian Armies in Tirah 1897-98’. Hickman was killed in action on 3rd January 1898 when the campaign was essentially over, and British and Indian forces in the process of withdrawing from the Khyber Pass area. The Regimental History records that Hickman was killed whilst passing through the Nikki Khel Villages ‘by a long range shot fired into the rear-guard’
From the shoulder length miniature portrait of Hickman it is clear he was issued two 1854 India General Service Medals, the first for service as a Captain with the 1st Bengal Native Infantry in Burma 1885-7, and the second service as a Captain with the 34th Bengal Native Infantry during the Samana campaign of 1891. Obviously, when he realised he was not entitled to wear two medals, and following proper procedure, he removed the clasp from his second medal and had it affixed to his first medal. But since he had already removed the lugs from the Burma 1885-7 clasp, the Samana 1891 clasp had to be fitted out of order, hence the medal as it now is.
