Waterloo ancestors

[groom]

Hi Neil

I'm not sure if I can give much more information, as I said, these medals belong to my cousin, and he's not very good at answering e-mails! This is from the original message he sent me:

 "Both medals definitely mention 4th Foot, one of them gives his rank as Corporal. The Waterloo medal has a bar across the ribbon which says Bladensburg Peninsular but no date. The other medal is just a General Service medal and does not mention any dates apart from 1793-1814 which I think are the dates of the regiment concerned although which regiment that was I really do no know as there is no mention apart from "1st Battalion, 4th Foot". I know they are quite valuable as I looked up a web site which detailed what these things have been sold for and also the general condition of each medal sold. The medal itself is in pretty good condition but the ribbon is a bit tatty, but then they say that you should not clean these thing unless done by an expert"

Any good?

Thanks for your interest

Jan

[neil1821]

Jan,
Ah OK, it becomes a bit clearer 

The Bladensburg/Peninsular clasp(s) on the Waterloo medal are not official government issue, they would be privately or perhaps regimentally issued. Nothing wrong with that really, and indeed makes it all the more interesting.
And at least we know now it's the War of 1812 !!

If the other medal has the dates 1793-1814 and is decribed as General Service then that pretty much clinches it as the MGS. The MGS roll does have a Cpl John Mills, 4th Foot as well. It should have 4 clasps on it: Salamanca, Vittoria, San Sebastian, Nive.

Here's the medal anyway:
http://www.northeastmedals.co.uk/britishguide/militarygeneralservice1793_1814.htm

[groom]

Thanks Neil

I'll pass that information on.

Jan

[Martin Aaron]

Hi
This thread is getting a bit complicated, not sure who I'm replying to!
I have a Private John Mills, born Needham, Norfolk, Enlisted 1811. Fought in Peninsula at Salamanca, Vitoria, San Sebastian, Nive. Served at capture of New Orleans 1815. Prisoner of War. Returned from POW 27th Feb 1815. Discharged 1828 aged 37. MGS awarded (to Corporal) 1848 with four clasps for the above Peninsula battles.

At Waterloo he served in the Grenadier Company - No.6 (or Kipling's). The company suffered 12 casualties out of 56 (22%).

Hope this is of interest
Martin

[Martin Aaron]

Hi Louise
I have Trumpet Major Benjamin Gilbert, born St Michael's, London. Enlisted 1800. Discharged 1818 aged 31.  Trumpet Major is actually quite a rare rank, being the senior Trumpeter in the Regiment so maybe the old story is true!

He was in No.1 Troop, 6th Inniskilling Dragoons (Holbech's Troop). This Troop suffered the worst casualties of the Regiment at Waterloo with 17 killed, 2 died of wounds, and 9 wounded out of a nominal strength of 73.

Hope this is of interest

Regards
Martin

[groom]

RE: John Mills

Hi Martin

Thanks for that information, it seems to fit with what my cousin knows.

Have you any idea where the regiment was in 1822, or know how I can find out? I've traced the Mills family backwards to an Edmund Mills born 1822 in Barbados, so age wise this could be John's son. I'm going to do a bit of double checking and then send for his marriage certificate.

Jan

[llama llady]

Hi Neil and Martin,

Thank you both for the information, it is certainly a lot to tell the family.    One last thing you may be able to help me with. Benjamin’s son William Gilbert is listed on the 1851 census as, “ A soldier” followed by 6th then something illegible that could be dragoons. Is it likely that a son would have followed his father into the same regiment?

Thank you again for your help,
Louise

[Martin Aaron]

Hi Louise
Short answer - yes!
Many children "born into the regiment" joined as soon as they were old enough.

Martin

[Deb D]

Hi Martin,

I don't know whether I've been looking in the wrong places ... but I can't figure out whether the 4th Light Dragoons were at Waterloo?

My 3xgt grandfather, James Dixon - possibly James John, or John James - (b. "St Andrew, London" on 1841 Census, which gives his birth at around 1790), was an officer with the 4th, and there's a problem with the date he became an officer (1809 or 1819?) .  Therefore I have no idea whether he was even old enough to have been at this battle.

Any sign of him in your lists?

Cheers, Deb