Signet ring taken from a dead sepoy by an officer of the Naval Brigade at the capture of Lucknow, 1858

British sailors were frequently formed into land-based units to support the Army's operations. During the Indian Mutiny (1857-1859) the heavy guns of the Naval Brigade, commanded by Captain Sir William Peel VC of HMS 'Shannon', played an important part in the capture of Lucknow in March 1858. One of Peel's officers took this ring from a dead sepoy during Sir Colin Campbell's assault on the city.