THE FINE AND UNIQUE I.G.S. 1854 TO AND OFFICER 2ND SOUTH WALES BORDERERS, ATTACHED TO THE 11TH N.I., WHO WAS THE FIRST OFFICER TO BE KILLED DURING THE THIRD BURMA WAR; LEADING HIS COMPANY AT THE ASSAULT AT MINHLA FORT, 17 NOVEMBER 1885, THIS THE FIRST AND MOST SIGNIFICANT BATTLE OF THE CONFLICT. A SCHOOL FRIEND OF KIPLING’S, HE WAS THE INSPIRATION FOR HIS POEM ‘ARITHMETIC ON THE FRONTIER’. LATER POSTHUMOUSLY MENTIONED IN LT GENERAL PREDERGAST’S DESPATCH, 26 MARCH 1886. 15 OFFICERS KILLED DURING THE THIRD BURMESE AND GUERILLA WAR 1885-7, THIS OFFICER THE ONLY ONE TO BE KILLED BEFORE THE OFFICIAL SURRENDER

INDIA GENERAL SERVICE 1854-95, CLASP, BURMA 1885-7 ‘LIEUTT. R. A. T. DURY 11TH. BL. INFY.’

Robert Ashton Theodore Dury was born on 7 July 1863 and was educated at the United Services College, Westward Ho! Commissioned Second Lieutenant in the 2nd Battalion, South Wales Borderers on 25 August 1883. Serving in India, he was attached to the 11th Bengal Infantry in mid-1885. Taking part in the Burmese war of 1885 under General Prendergast, Dury’s regiment was one of three that were landed by the river fleet to assault on the stockades at Minhla Fort, 17 November 1885. The advance was stopped by a heavy fire from a prepared position in the middle of dense bush; it took some sharp fighting and more than one bayonet charge before the Burmans were driven back upon Minhla by the 11th Bengal Infantry and the 12th Madras Infantry. During the assault, Lieutenant Dury was killed whilst leading his company, which at that point were leading the assault. Total casualties were 1 officer and 3 men killed, and 4 officers and 23 men wounded.’ This the highest number of casualties suffered by British forces during the campaigns in third Burma war. The Burmese lost 170 killed and 276 prisoners.

Over the next few days, troops and sailors of the Naval Brigade captured a succession of Burmese river defences and gun emplacements at Nyaung-U, Pakokku and Myingyan. As the river fleet pushed on, it threatened to bombard Ava (Inwa), the former royal capital and King Thibaw ordered his troops to surrender on 26 November. Two days later, Mandalay was secured by British soldiers. However a guerilla war continued into 1887.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_Anglo-Burmese_War

Lieutenant Dury was the first officer killed during the Third Burma War and strickly speaking the only one to be killed during the war up to the surrender of the King. He is buried at Minhla. A memorial to him is in Rochester Cathedral, the inscription as follows:

"Lieutenant Robert Ashton Theodore Dury, 2nd South Wales Borderers, attached XI Regiment Bengal Infantry. Killed in the assault on Minhla-Burmah. 7 July 1863-17 November 1885. Erected in token of their esteem by his brother officers."

Dury was posthumously Mentioned in Lt General Predergast’s despatch, 26 March 1886. He was 1 of 15 Officers killed during third Burmese war and guerilla war 1885-7 but as noted, the only one during up until the official surrender…………

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Condition EF. Sold with copied research including an engraved image of the recipient and the History of the Third Burmese War (digital).

A unique and important Third Burma War Officer casualty medal.