Afghanistan, 1878-80, no clasp (2733. Sergt. V. Phillips. I/8th R.A.)

1893: Conductor V. Phillips, Ordnance Department, was holding the appointment of Assistant Timber Storekeeper, Gun Carriage Factory, Fategarh, India

Medal verification: Sergeant Vincent Phillips, 1st Battery 8th Battery Royal Artillery is confirmed entitled to the Second Afghan War Medal with no clasp, per the respective campaign medal roll cited below:

- Second Afghan War Medal: WO 100/54

Reference 'The Afghan Campaign 1878-1880' (S. H. Shadbolt, ), the record of service of No. 1 Battery, 8th Brigade, R. A. during the Second Afghan War was:

Quote,

No. 1 BATTERY, 8th BRIGADE, R.A.

This battery, under the command of Major J. Haughton, marched from Rawal Pindi for the Kuram Valley on the 2nd Oct., 1879, and on the 13th idem joined Brigadier-General J. A. Tytler’s expeditionary force at Kohat. This force was intended to punish the Zaimusht tribe for their depredations in British territory, and for the recent murder of Lieut. Kinloch, B.S.C.; but on the receipt of intelligence of fighting in the Hariab Valley, the Column pushed on to Kuram, and 1/8, R.A., was sent to join Brigadier-General Gordon’s force at Ali Khel, where it arrived on the 28th Oct., 1879.

After the evacuation of the Hariab Valley on the 8th Nov., the battery marched with General Gordon’s force over the Peiwar Kotal and up the Chakmani Valley to punish a refractory tribe. No resistance was offered, and a fine was inflicted.

1/8, R.A., now returned to Kuram, and shortly afterwards took part with General Tytler’s force in the deferred Zaimusht expedition, entering the hostile territory at Bulesh Khel on the 8th Dec., 1879. The battery was first engaged with the enemy at Tarah on the roth Dec., and then again on the 13th and 14th in the final advance on the Zaimusht stronghold of Zawa, which was stormed on the latter date. The services it rendered on these occasions were warmly acknowledged in an order addressed by the Brigadier-General to the troops.

From the 26th Jan. until the 3tst March, 1880, 1/8, R.A., was stationed at Thai, after which it moved up the Valley to Kuram, Shalozan, and Peiwar Kotal, where it remained until the close of the war.

Unquote.

Vincent James Philipps, son of John Phillips (a 'Baker') and Elizabeth Phillips (nee) was a native of, Stoke Damerel, Devon, England, where he was born, on 11 February 1852. The 1871, National Census for England & Wales, shows Vincent working as a 'Baker's Assistant'. When he was 21 years& 4 months of age, Vincent enlisted in the British Army, at which time he was posted to the Royal Regiment of Artillery. By 1884, and holding the rank of Staff Sergeant, Vincent James Phillips (34) was stationed at Rawalpindi Cantonment, Punjab, India, where, on, 9 September 1884, he married Mary James Murray, a 'Spinster' (18), at Christ Church. During his many years service in British India, Vincent appears to have been mostly stationed at the Ferozepore Arsenal & Ordnance Factory in the Punjab Command. In 1893 The Civil and Military Gazette issue of, 3 October 1893, contains a notice showing Conductor V. Phillips, Ordnance Department, holding the appointment of Assistant Timber Storekeeper, Gun Carriage Factory, Fategarh. In 1901, Sub-Conductor Phillips, was holding an appointment with the Ordnance Department at Ferozepore, in which year he took his final retirement from the British Indian Army (he was placed on the Pension Establishment of the Punjab Command, in the year ended 31 March 1902). Shortly after his retirement, Vincent and his wife returned to his roots in his native Devonshire, England, however he did not live a long retirement, as he is recorded to have died at, 74 Beatrice Avenue, Plymouth, England, on, 12 March 1904, at which time he was described as 'retired warrant-officer in the Indian Ordnance Department'

Sold together with hard-copy extract page from the respective campaign medal roll

Condition: About GVF

Code: 24303