| Captain James Sterling |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| 1st Bombay Light Cavalry |
| Group of three: Ghuznee 1839 (un-named as issued); Punjab with clasp for Mooltan (Lt. and Riding Master); and Indian Mutiny with Central India clasp (Lt.). All medals VF+. |
James Sterling was born circa 1804, in Dublin, Ireland. He enlisted in the ranks of H.M. 4th Light Dragoons in 1824 and sailed
to India, the Regiment having been stationed there since 1822. By 1824, he had been promoted to Corporal. Sterling served
with the 4th Light Dragoons in the Field Force assembled in the Kutch in 1825, and in the Southern Mahratta Country in 1827,
both actions for which no medals were authorized.
There is some confusion as to when Sterling transferred from the 4th Light Dragoons to the forces under the Bombay
Presidency of the Honorable East India Company. One source states he transferred to the 1st Bombay Light Cavalry as a
Sergeant Major in May of 1834. Another source states he transferred as a Riding Master on the Unattached List 1 August
1839. The latter is possible as H.M. 4th Light Dragoons and the 1st Bombay Light Cavalry were serving together in the
Bombay Column before Ghuznee in the summer of 1839, and he may have come to the notice of the 1st Bombay Light Cavalry at
that time. However, Sterling’s rank as Riding Master in the 1st Bombay Light Cavalry is shown in the 1859 East India Register
& Army List as dating from 22 October 1841, casting doubt on him having transferred as Riding Master in 1839. More likely,
he transferred as a Sergeant Major in 1834 and was promoted to Riding Master in 1841.
Sterling served with the 1st Bombay Light Cavalry with the Bombay Column of the Army of the Indus in Sinde and Afghanistan
in 1838-39. He was present at the storming and capture of the fortress of Ghuznee in Afghanistan for which he received the
Ghuznee Medal 1839. (War Services, Bombay Army List April 1859)
Sterling also served with the 1st Bombay Light Cavalry with the Bombay Column of the Army of the Punjab in the Second Sikh
War in 1849. He served at the siege and capture of Mooltan, for which he received the Punjab medal with Mooltan clasp.
(L/MIL/5/72)
On 1 January 1855, Sterling was commissioned as a Lieutenant on the Bombay Veteran Establishment. In that capacity, he was
appointed to serve as Quartermaster and Paymaster of the 1st Bombay Light Cavalry.
At the beginning of the Indian Mutiny in 1857, Lieutenant Sterling was serving with a wing of the 1st Bombay Light Cavalry at
Nusseerabad when the native troops of the 15th N.I. mutinied on the 28th of May, 1857, and were joined by the native
artillery. The 1st Bombay Cavalry with 250 men unhesitatingly charged the mutineers in an attempt to recover the artillery in
possession of the mutineers. Driven back, they rallied and again and again advanced upon the bayonets of the mutineers.
Through ultimately repulsed by the overwhelming numbers of their opponents they inflicted sever losses on the enemy. Captain
Spottiiswoode and Cornet Newberry were killed and Captain Hardy and Lieutenant Lock were severely wounded. Their
commander, Colonel Penny died the following night from the effects of a fall from his horse during a charge. Further attempts
to regain the guns being useless, the 1st Bombay Lancers retired from the cantonment, taking with them the European officers
and families belonging to the regiments which mutinied, whom they safely escorted first to Ajmeer and subsequently to the camp
of Colonel Dixon at Beawr. (See Ball’s History of the Indian Mutiny, Vol. 1, pg. 162.)
The Times on 14 July 1857 printed an extract of a letter from Colonel Dixon at Beawr dated May 29th stating: “The 1st
Bombay Light Cavalry has marched in here, as is pitched a short distance from the cantonment on the Nusseerabad road…The
following is a list of officers, with their families who are at Beawr:- … 1st Bombay Light Cavalry- Captain Hardy (now
Commandant) and wife. Lieutenant Dennis and wife; Lieutenant Lock, Adjutant; …Lieutenant (Riding Master) Sterling and wife,
and Surgeon Durham.”
James Sterling was appointed Lieutenant, 1st Bombay Light Cavalry on 8 June 1859. According to the medal roll, he was
awarded the Indian Mutiny medal without clasp, as the officers of the regiment stationed at Nusseerabad did not qualify for
the Central India clasp. (L/MIL/5/95) However, the roll of officers actually used to order the production of the medals from
the Mint requested a medal with Central India clasp for Lieutenant Sterling, as well as all of the other officers of the
regiment. (L/MIL/5/83fl67r) Thus, the Central India clasp on James Sterling’s medal is an official error and the medal
actually issued and received on his behalf by the East India Agents, Smith Elder & Co. on 18 November 1861 included the clasp
for Central India.
Lieutenant James Sterling returned to England on Sick Certificate in January of 1861 and retired in April of that year after
having served for over 37 years.
to India, the Regiment having been stationed there since 1822. By 1824, he had been promoted to Corporal. Sterling served
with the 4th Light Dragoons in the Field Force assembled in the Kutch in 1825, and in the Southern Mahratta Country in 1827,
both actions for which no medals were authorized.
There is some confusion as to when Sterling transferred from the 4th Light Dragoons to the forces under the Bombay
Presidency of the Honorable East India Company. One source states he transferred to the 1st Bombay Light Cavalry as a
Sergeant Major in May of 1834. Another source states he transferred as a Riding Master on the Unattached List 1 August
1839. The latter is possible as H.M. 4th Light Dragoons and the 1st Bombay Light Cavalry were serving together in the
Bombay Column before Ghuznee in the summer of 1839, and he may have come to the notice of the 1st Bombay Light Cavalry at
that time. However, Sterling’s rank as Riding Master in the 1st Bombay Light Cavalry is shown in the 1859 East India Register
& Army List as dating from 22 October 1841, casting doubt on him having transferred as Riding Master in 1839. More likely,
he transferred as a Sergeant Major in 1834 and was promoted to Riding Master in 1841.
Sterling served with the 1st Bombay Light Cavalry with the Bombay Column of the Army of the Indus in Sinde and Afghanistan
in 1838-39. He was present at the storming and capture of the fortress of Ghuznee in Afghanistan for which he received the
Ghuznee Medal 1839. (War Services, Bombay Army List April 1859)
Sterling also served with the 1st Bombay Light Cavalry with the Bombay Column of the Army of the Punjab in the Second Sikh
War in 1849. He served at the siege and capture of Mooltan, for which he received the Punjab medal with Mooltan clasp.
(L/MIL/5/72)
On 1 January 1855, Sterling was commissioned as a Lieutenant on the Bombay Veteran Establishment. In that capacity, he was
appointed to serve as Quartermaster and Paymaster of the 1st Bombay Light Cavalry.
At the beginning of the Indian Mutiny in 1857, Lieutenant Sterling was serving with a wing of the 1st Bombay Light Cavalry at
Nusseerabad when the native troops of the 15th N.I. mutinied on the 28th of May, 1857, and were joined by the native
artillery. The 1st Bombay Cavalry with 250 men unhesitatingly charged the mutineers in an attempt to recover the artillery in
possession of the mutineers. Driven back, they rallied and again and again advanced upon the bayonets of the mutineers.
Through ultimately repulsed by the overwhelming numbers of their opponents they inflicted sever losses on the enemy. Captain
Spottiiswoode and Cornet Newberry were killed and Captain Hardy and Lieutenant Lock were severely wounded. Their
commander, Colonel Penny died the following night from the effects of a fall from his horse during a charge. Further attempts
to regain the guns being useless, the 1st Bombay Lancers retired from the cantonment, taking with them the European officers
and families belonging to the regiments which mutinied, whom they safely escorted first to Ajmeer and subsequently to the camp
of Colonel Dixon at Beawr. (See Ball’s History of the Indian Mutiny, Vol. 1, pg. 162.)
The Times on 14 July 1857 printed an extract of a letter from Colonel Dixon at Beawr dated May 29th stating: “The 1st
Bombay Light Cavalry has marched in here, as is pitched a short distance from the cantonment on the Nusseerabad road…The
following is a list of officers, with their families who are at Beawr:- … 1st Bombay Light Cavalry- Captain Hardy (now
Commandant) and wife. Lieutenant Dennis and wife; Lieutenant Lock, Adjutant; …Lieutenant (Riding Master) Sterling and wife,
and Surgeon Durham.”
James Sterling was appointed Lieutenant, 1st Bombay Light Cavalry on 8 June 1859. According to the medal roll, he was
awarded the Indian Mutiny medal without clasp, as the officers of the regiment stationed at Nusseerabad did not qualify for
the Central India clasp. (L/MIL/5/95) However, the roll of officers actually used to order the production of the medals from
the Mint requested a medal with Central India clasp for Lieutenant Sterling, as well as all of the other officers of the
regiment. (L/MIL/5/83fl67r) Thus, the Central India clasp on James Sterling’s medal is an official error and the medal
actually issued and received on his behalf by the East India Agents, Smith Elder & Co. on 18 November 1861 included the clasp
for Central India.
Lieutenant James Sterling returned to England on Sick Certificate in January of 1861 and retired in April of that year after
having served for over 37 years.