Indian General Service Medal 1854 with Perak clasp to 80th Regt. (Staffordshire Volunteers)
Named to : - 2060. Pte. H. Summersby. 80th. Foot.
Henry Summersby was born in Walton, Surrey, and attested for the 80th Foot at Westminster on 21 May 1872. He served with the 8th Foot in India, and also in South Africa during the Zulu War (entitled to a South Africa 1877-79 Medal with clasp 1878), before transferring to the Reserve on 10 October 1879.
Good very fine condition with a minor edge bruise.
The Perak War took place from 1875 and 1876, between the British and local forces in Perak, a state in North-western Malaysia. The Sultan of Lower Perak and other chiefs, attempted to end foreign influence in the region and remove the British Administrator, James W.W. Birch. Birch was disliked by the locals and was assassinated, he was taking a bath when a local tribal leader “Lela Pandak Lam” speared him. Today the event of his death is popular in Malaysia and taught in schools, as an early attempt at of an anti-colonial uprising although it is widely debated. Following the killing, the British Empire was obviously enraged, deploying reinforcements including Pte Crankshaw from the 80th Foot with them. The Perak Malays put up a good fight in the 3 main battles at Bandar Tua, Pasir Salak and Kota Lama Kanan, claiming the life of some British officers and men. The British forces wore them down and captured many of the leaders, including the assassin himself, who was soon after hanged, whilst 2 others were exiled to the Seychelles, including Sultan Abdullah II of Perak, the 26th Sultan, who was amongst those who agreed to the murder, those present at the discussion even ruled out poison as a means, preferring a spear.
