Afghanistan Medal 1878-80. No clasp (Sepoy Rijah, 26th Regt. N.I.)

The recipient was an Indian soldier holding the rank of Sepoy (Private) while serving with the 26th Regiment of Native Infantry of the Bengal Presidency Army

Reference 'The Afghan Campaign 1878-1880' (S. H. Shadbolt, ), the regiment's record of service during the Second Afghan War:

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26th REGT. (PUNJAB) BENGAL NATIVE INFANTRY.

On the 27th Sept., 1878, the 26th Punjab Infantry proceeded by rail from Mian Mir to Multan, under orders to march to Quetta on field service; and quitting Multan on the 1st Oct., the third
day after its arrival, made its way by the Dera Bughti route and the Bolan Pass to its destination, where arrived on the 5th Nov.

As a unit of Brigadier-General Nuttall’s Brigade of Major-General Biddulph s Division of the Army of Invasion, the regiment took part in the advance into Afghanistan, leaving Quetta on the 22nd Nov.,
1878, and marching into Kandahar on the 10th Jan., 1879. During the passage of the Khojak Pass by General Biddulph’s Division, two companies of the 26th, under the command of Lieut. Ryland, who was
in charge of the Pass, furnished numerous escorts to signallers and covering parties for working detachments and later, on the Division quitting Chaman, two companies of the regiment under the command of Major A. B. Hepburn were left to garrison that post.

The regiment remained at Kandahar, forming part of the garrison, till the 17th Feb., 1879, when, conformably with the scheme formulated by Government to reduce the number of troops at the Southern theatre of operations before the hot weather should set in, it received orders to return to India, and acting as escort to a battery of Artillery and the Native General Hospital, made its way back by the Khojak Pass, suffering great hardships and privations en route.

Unquote.

Condition: GF

Code: 24297