Gwalior Star 1843 - 40th Regiment of Foot. Served in Australia

A rare Gwalior Star named to a recipient with service in the Australian Colony, 40th Regiment of Foot.

Full size original medal. Engraved on the reverse “Private William Jones HM 40th Regt”. Suspending bar mount with original ribbon. Made from the bronze of captured guns at the Battle of Punniar and Marahajpore.

Noted on the nominal roll of “The British Army in Australia 1798-1870. Index of Personnel” by Donohoe. There are two William Jones’, both of the 40th Foot listed as serving with the regiment in Australia. There is no William Jones noted as being present with the 40th Foot at Eureka and it is likely the he served elsewhere in the Colony.

The 40th (2nd Somersetshire) Regiment of Foot, or "Excellers," served in Australia during two main periods (1824–1829 and 1852–1860), playing key roles in convict guarding, colonial defense, and the suppression of the 1854 Eureka Stockade. They were stationed across Tasmania, Victoria, and New South Wales before departing for New Zealand.Key Aspects of the 40th Foot in Australia:First Tour (1824–1829): Served primarily in Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) and New South Wales. They were heavily involved in the "Black War," a period of violent conflict between colonists and Tasmanian Aboriginal people.Second Tour (1852–1860): Returned during the Victorian gold rush, with detachments based in Melbourne and Geelong.Eureka Stockade (1854): Soldiers from the 40th Regiment played a major role in the attack on the Eureka Stockade in Ballarat on December 3, 1854, assisting in the suppression of the miners' uprising.Key Locations: The regiment was stationed at numerous sites, including Melbourne, Geelong, Hobart, and Moreton Bay.Departure: The regiment left for the Maori Wars in New Zealand in 1860.

Code: 4152