Looking for an ancestor William Russell Qtr Master Sergeant at Waterloo

[mark1965]

Hi,

I was hoping for some advice on how to further my research into an ancestor I believe was at Waterloo.

Discharge Papers say Born Exeter, Devon

William Russell Qtr Master Sergeant 2 Battalion 73rd Regiment of Foot enlisted 1788 discharged 1817 as being old and past service. States he served 18 years in East or West Indies but no other indication of where. If he was in the 2/73rd all the time then he saw a lot of Empire service and great actions and Quartre Bras and Waterloo itself but is it possible to place him at those battles?

Only other info on discharge Papers is that under general George Lord Harris and Captain Pikes in 1817.

I have searched FindmyPast and he is not on any rolls that I have seen and he was still alive in 1844 so he should've been picked up. Obviously he might've missed all these events - he was 45 at the time of Waterloo but I would really like to know where I might take my research next.

Many Thanks, Mark

[neil1821]

All men present at Waterloo were granted 2 years pensionable service, and that fact is shown on their papers. So if it's not mentioned then he wasn't there. And indeed he's not listed on the Waterloo medal roll, so we can be fairly sure he wasn't.

If he was in the 2/73rd all the time then he saw a lot of Empire service .......

Well the 2nd Btn was only raised in 1809 and disbanded in 1817 (when William was discharged) so before that he was presumably 1st Btn.

Their movements for you:-

1st Btn
1788-1806 India (including 4th Mysore War 1790-92, Anglo-French engagement at Pondicherry 1793, Ceylon Wars 1795-97, 5th Mysore War 1799, Polygar War 1801, 2nd Mahratta War 1803-05)
1806 England
1806-09 Scotland
1809-14 New South Wales
1814-17 Ceylon (Kandyan War)

2nd Btn
1809 raised in England
1809-13 England/Wales
1813 Sweden/Germany (Stralsund, Gohrde)
1814-15 Flanders (inc Waterloo)
1815 France (Army of Occupation)
1815-17 England till disbandment

[bamc37]

My 2xgreat grandfather enlisted in the 13th Light Dragoons in 1813 at Bury St Edmunds. He was at Waterloo and from 1819 until 1838 served in India. He was Trumpeter Abraham Ward No 147. Can anyone advise me how I can find more details of his movements ie 1813 - Waterloo? Which battles during the Napolionic war and where was he until 1819 and where abouts in India? As I live in New Zealand I can only search online.
Brian

[Martin Aaron]

Do you have any evidence that he was at Waterloo? I can see no man of this name on the rolls

[bamc37]

On Abraham Wards Military papers it states "Waterloo" and notes 2yrs additional pension. He is also listed on the Present at Waterloo Roll for Find my Past and Ancestry.

[Martin Aaron]

Ah yes, I've got him now! Sorry!
Born Rougham, Suffolk. Enlisted 1813. Discharged 1838 aged 44.
At Waterloo served in Number 4 Troop (Bower's) in 13th Light Dragoons. This troop had a nominal strength of 69 men and suffered (around) 12 casualties (17%). The troop was commanded by Captain Mansell Bowers and the great majority of the men had served in the Peninsula War in Spain and southern France.
Hope this of use

Martin

[bamc37]

Thanks Martin
The Information is golden. Abraham was a Private before Waterloo but his papers say he was a Trumpeter at Waterloo. He was officially "promoted " to trumpeter in December 1815. Which leads me to speculate that maybe he was promoted to trumpeter "in the field" to replace casualties and officially promoted later.
Brian

[Martin Aaron]

Hi Brian
That sounds right - No.4 Troop's trumpeter, Eleazer Griffiths, was wounded at Waterloo and sent home to England. He wasn't discharged until 1828 but maybe your man took over as Trumpeter to replace him.

[bamc37]

Wow Thanks Martin. You seem to have detailed knowledge of 13thLD. Any more from where that came from? I was thrilled to find I had a 3xgrandfather at Waterloo and even happier to find he survived it. Im trying to write up his exploits as far as I can.
Abraham Ward served in UK, Ireland ,France and India over 20yrs and in all that time he only saw action at Quatre Bras and Waterloo (say 24hrs) but enough for a lifetime.
Brian