1842 Appointment Document Signed By Queen Victoria

Document signed by Queen Victoria

Good condition. Some foxing and staining

Measures 9 x 13 inches on vellum

This document is a British Army military commission from the reign of Queen Victoria. Dated September 12, 1842, it appoints Henry Bedford as an Ensign in the 9th Regiment of Foot.

Document Details

Monarch: Queen Victoria

Appointee: Henry Bedford, Gentleman

Rank Awarded: Ensign, a junior commissioned officer rank

Regiment: The 9th Regiment of Foot (East Norfolk Regiment)

Date of Appointment: May 27, 1842

Date Signed (at Court at Windsor): September 12, 1842

Countersignature: A signature is visible below "Entered with the Secretary at War," which was standard procedure for these commissions.

The document is partly printed on vellum and features elaborate calligraphy, a royal seal on the left, and a blue embossed stamp below it.

Louis Henry Bedford: Records from Westminster Abbey indicate an individual named Louis Henry Bedford was a son of George Bedford of Bedford Row, London (a solicitor). Louis Henry joined the army in 1842 and served in the Indian Mutiny. The person in this document is also commissioned in 1842 and is described as "Henry Bedford Gentleman". It is highly probable these individuals are related or the same person.

The 9th Regiment of Foot: The regiment was known as the 9th (East Norfolk) Regiment of Foot in 1842 and had extensive service in India during that period. They were involved in the First Anglo-Sikh War (1845–1846), including the Battles of Moodkee, Ferozeshuhur, and Sobraon.

Other Regimental Members: Another Ensign in the 9th Regiment of Foot, Henry Jobling Wallack, served in and was decorated for the Anglo-Sikh War.