Printed from Woolley & Wallis

Description

A Waterloo Medal 1815 to Private John Smith, 4th Regiment of Foot, a veteran of the Peninsular War and the War of 1812 and a Waterloo casualty (JOHN SMITH, 1st BATT. 4th REG. FOOT.), iron clip suspension with privately fitted gold ring, some edge bruising, otherwise good very fine.

(36 mm)

John Smith enlisted in the 4^th Foot in April 1810 and was discharged in June 1818. He was present at a number of battles in the Peninsula including Corunna and Badajoz (MGS not claimed) and was wounded during the retreat from Burgos. In America during the War of 1812, he was present at the Battles of Bladensburg and North Point, the burning of Washington and the operations against New Orleans. In 1815 John Smith fought at the Battle of Waterloo where he received a lance wound in the elbow. According to his pension papers (copy included) his father sold the medal at Bury St Edmunds in about 1824.

This man is the only John Smith on the 4^th Foot Waterloo medal roll. Very unusually, his Soldier’s Small Book still survives and is held at the National Archives. In addition to details of his military service it contains interesting notes on his family and work.

Smith died in 1883 aged 92 and is buried at St Nicholas’s Church, Thelnetham, Suffolk. His headstone still exists and has the following inscription “JOHN SMITH / A BRAVE SOLDIER AND GOOD / CHRISTIAN. HE SERVED HIS KING AND / COUNTRY IN ALL THE BATTLES AND SIEGES / IN THE PENINSULAR WAR IN AMERICA AND WATERLOO. / HE DEPARTED THIS LIFE IN THE FAITH AND / FEAR OF CHRIST / JAN 12^TH 1883 / AGE 92 YEARS.

Offered with copy research.