Afghanistan 1878-80. No clasp (613 Havr Dewa Singh 32d Bengal Infy)

The recipient was an Indian soldier of Jat Sikh ethnicity and faith, who held the rank of Havildar (Sergeant) while serving with the 32nd Bengal Infantry a class Sikh 'Pioneer' regiment of the Bengal Arm

Reference 'The Afghan Campaigns of 1878-1880 (S. H. Shadbolt, 1882)':

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32ND REGT. (PUNJAB) BENGAL NATIVE INFANTRY (PIONEERS)

ON the outbreak of the Afghan war the 32nd Regt. P.N.I. was at Quetta, where it had been engaged since January, 1878, in constructing the defences of the Fort, and had suffered much from the malarious climate.

As the Pioneer battalion of General Biddulph’s Division of the Army of Invasion, the regiment took part in the advance of that force on the 20th Nov., 1878, and on the 12th Dec. reached the Khojak Kotal, where it was for some time employed — in severe cold, and with scanty field kit— in improving the road. At the latter end of December the services of the regiment wTere lent to the 1st Division, and for several days it was actively engaged in the construction of the road over the Gwaja Pass. It eventually took part in the advance by that route on Kandahar, and on the 2nd Jan., 1879, formed the rear-guard, and protected the baggage at the action of Takht-i-pul. On the 8th the regiment arrived with the rest of the troops at the southern capital. For the good work it had done during the past month it received the cordial acknowledgments of the Lieut.-General.

On the 16th Jan. the 32nd P.N.I. marched with General Biddulph’s Division for the Halmand and Girishk, and from the 2nd till the 22nd Feb. was engaged in road-making and bridging the river. On the latter date the Division commenced its return march for Kandahar, where it arrived on the 2nd March, and was broken up.

As a unit of the 2nd Column of the Thal-Chotiali F.F., the regiment took part in the return march by the new route to India, first, however, assisting in subduing the Kakar Pathans, a tribe which had continually threatened Quetta. Though no enemy was encountered by the column during its inarch to the frontier, the regiment was pretty constantly engaged in overcoming the physical obstacles presented by the country traversed, on several occasions working at night. On the 25th April it reached Mithankot, and eventually made its way to Jhelum, where it arrived on the 19th May, 1879.

During the first campaign the regiment lost by death, 1 British and 2 native officers, and 96 rank and file, the mortality being mainly attributable to pneumonia.

Detailed during the second campaign to serve as the Pioneer battalion of the Reserve Division at Peshawar, the 32nd P.N.I. left Jhelum on the 9th Jan., 1880, but on arriving at its destination in February, it was ordered on to Landi Kotal, where it joined the Khyber Line Force. In April, 1880, it was moved on to Pesh Bolak, leaving detachments en route

The 32nd P.N.I. formed part of the moveable column under Brigadier-General Gib which marched into the Mazina Valley on the 18th May, 1880, to disperse the gathering under Ghulam Ahmad, and on the 26th was engaged at the action of Mazina. The regiment was mentioned in warm terms for the manner in which it fought as well as worked. Its casualties in the action were 3 men wounded.

Prom the 28th May till the 8th June the 32nd P.N.I. was absent on the Kama expedition, taking part in the various operations which were conducted within that period on the north side of the Kabul River. After the return of the expeditionary force the regiment remained serving on the Khyber line till the evacuation in August, when it marched back to India, and went into quarters at Rawal Pindi.

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The suspension with contemporary neat repair, and no longer swivels

Condition: VF

Code: 24933