Beschreibung:

The Brian Ritchie Collection of H.E.I.C. and British India Medals The battle of Khushab V.C. group of five awarded to Major-General Arthur Thomas Moore 3rd Bombay Light Cavalry, for his famous charge which broke the square of Persian infantry (a) Victoria Cross, the reverse of the suspension bar inscribed ‘Lieut. Arthur Thomas Moore 3rd Bombay Light Cavalry’, the reverse centre of the cross dated ‘Feby. 8, 1857’ (b) Order of the Bath, C.B. (Military) breast badge, 18 carat gold and enamels, date letter indistinct, complete with gold ribbon buckle (c) India General Service 1854-94, 1 clasp, Persia (Lt. A. T. Moore, 3rd Lt. Cavy.) (d) Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 1 clasp, Central India (Lieut. A. T. Moore, 3rd Regt. Bombay Cavy.) (e) Coronation 1902, silver, unnamed as issued, together with a quantity of fine original documentation relating to Moore’s service in India, including several ‘Record of Officers’ Services’ completed by Moore and with various corrections and amendments, light contact marks to the medals, otherwise good very fine £80000-100000 Footnote V.C. London Gazette 3 August 1860: ‘Arthur Thomas Moore Lieut. and Adjutant, 3rd Bombay Light Cavalry. On the occasion of an attack on the enemy on the 8th Feb. 1857, led by Lieut.-Col. Forbes, C.B., Lieut. Moore, Adjutant of the regiment, was perhaps the first of all by a horse’s length [to reach the Persian bayonets]. His horse leapt into the square, and instantly fell amid the broken ranks of the enemy. Lieut. Moore speedily extricated himself, and attempted with his broken sword to force his way through the press; but he would assuredly have lost his life had not the gallant young Lieut. Malcolmson, observing his peril, fought his way to his dismounted comrade through a crowd of enemies, to his rescue, and giving him his stirrup, safely carried him through everything out of the throng. The thoughtfulness for others, cool determination, devoted courage, and ready activity shown in extreme danger by this young officer, Lieut. Malcolmson, appear to have been most admirable and to be worthy of the highest honour.’ Arthur Thomas Moore the son of Edward Francis Moore of Carlingford, Co. Louth, and formerly of H.M’s 45th Regiment of Foot, was born on 20 September 1830, and was appointed Cornet in the 3rd Bombay Light Cavalry in July 1850. He was promoted Lieutenant on 28 August 1855, and was appointed Adjutant from 7 August 1857. In 1856 he landed with his regiment south of Bushire at the start of the Persian Campaign and subsequently took part with the advance guard in the capture of the fort at Reshire. Thereafter he participated in the march to and from Boorzgoon and distinguished himself at the battle of Khushab, winning the Victoria Cross in the celebrated charge by a squadron of his regiment which broke the square of Persian infantry. The success of the charge, in which his elder brother, Ross Moore (qv), also had a horse killed under him, greatly excited miltary experts as it was generally considered impossible for cavalry to break a square of steady infantry, although this had been famously achieved by British cavalry of the King’s German Legion at Garcia Hernandez in the Peninsula War, and more recently at Aliwal. However, at Khushab it was the only time that the feat was accomplished by Indian cavalry, and with remarkably little loss. The charge was vividly described by an officer in a letter to a Calcutta newspaper: ‘When Forbes, who commanded this regiment, gave the order to charge, he and his adjutant, young Moore, placed themselves in front of the 6th troop, which was the one directly opposite the nearest face of the square. The other Moore [Ross], Malcolmson, and Spens came the least thing behind, riding knee to knee, with spurs in their horses flanks, as if racing after a hog. In the rear of them rushed the dark troopers of the 3rd, mad to avenge the death of poor Malet at Bushire. In spite of steel, fire, and bullets they tore down upon the nearest face of the