Height: 21.5cm (8.5in)
Paktong (nickel silver). A pair of 19th century ornaments, possibly parts of a large table centrepiece, in the form of two Egyptian sphinx, each bearing a Colour, with pre-1852 style spike finials, one inscribed with battle honours from the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, and the other from the Sikh Wars (1845-47) as won by the 50th (Queen's Own) Regiment of Foot), later amalgamated with the 97th Foot to become The Queen’s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) in 1881.
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The first visible battle honour commemorates the 50th Foot’s participation in the victory over the French at the Battle of Alexandria (1801); ‘VIMIER / CORUNNA’ represents the 1/50th Foot’s early Peninsula War service at the Battle of Vimeiro (1808) and in the retreat to Corunna (1809) where it held off the French with bayonet charges. ‘ALMARAZ’ (1812) recalls 1/50th’s escalade of Fort Napoleon as part of a small force of Anglo-Portuguese troops under Rowland Hill that advanced deep into French-held territory and, despite several setbacks, destroyed both the fortifications and a vital bridge over the Tagus. ‘-TORIA' appertains to Wellington’s victory at Vitoria (1813) where Joseph Bonaparte’s ill-gotten gains were captured and auctioned off amongst the troops. The second Colour’s battle honours 'MOOD- FEROZES-‘ commemorate the regiment’s Indian service in the Sutlej Campaign (1845-46) and the victories over the Khalsa at Mudki (1845), Ferozeshah (1845), Aliwal (1846) and Sobraon (1846).