Full medal write up
SCINDE 1843 FOR MEEANEE AND HYDERABAD ‘CORPL RICHD WILLIAMS, 22ND REGT.’ OFFICIALLY ENGRAVED NAMING, FITTED WITH STEEL CLIP AND BAR SUSPENSION.
Richard Williams, a 17 year old labourer from Borneagh, Tipperary, enlisted into the 22nd Foot at Dublin on 16 July 1825. In June 1829, he was tried and sentenced to three weeks solitary confinement and in October that year he was tried and sentenced to 300 lashes. On 1 August 1832 he was promoted Corporal but 2 months later was tried and reduced to Private and on 16 December, he was again tried and sentenced to 300 lashes and ‘to be discharged into ignominy from His Majesty’s Service’.
The latter appears not to have been carried out, or at least the discharge, for his records show him remaining in service with a note added ‘Vide War Officer Letter attached’. Tried and sentenced to 30 days solitary confinement and loss of 2 days pay the following year and imprisoned for 3 weeks for being absent in December 1833, Williams seems to have become a reformed character and was promoted Corporal on 1 February 1843.
Williams detailed medical history report, prepared on him being invalided lists him suffering from Rheumatism, chronic debility and having suffered various illnesses over his service; cholera etc etc/ However critically, his last disability was listed as in April 1843 whist in ‘Hyderabad service’ and under ‘what cause attributable: To climate & confinement in hospital with gunshot wound’.
Given the battle of Hyderabad was fought on the 24th March 1843, its all but certain his wound was sustained at this battle. The 22nd Foot lost 147 Officers and men killed and wounded at the battle of Hyderabad.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Hyderabad
Service papers note he served 4 years, 164 days in the East Indies, 10 years, 122 days in the West Indies and the remainder on home service.
On 12 June 1846, he was discharged in consequence of being ‘no longer being fit for service’. Despite his earlier service, his character was given as ‘good’.
Condition VF, overall contact marks. A fine and very scarce 22nd Scinde casualty medal, awarded to an NCO with a troubled service to say the least.