Military Records for Napoleonic Wars

[HLB1973]

I recently found the tattered remains of Thomas Middlemast's (my Great Grandfather) army discharge papers dated 1816. These show that he was in the Third Regiment of Foot Guards (Scots Guards) during the latter part of the Napoleonic Wars. I contacted the regiment to find out his battalion and any other details of his involvement. They told me that a fire had destroyed the part of their records that contained his service record.

I've tried The National Archives, Ancestry/Genes Reunited/FindMyPast/etc., but found nothing. Can anyone suggest alternative sources?

[km1971]

Normal enlistment was 'unlimited', ie for life. However during the Napoleonic wars they introduced seven year 'limited' service, without a pension at the end of it. This is what you have here. So they had no reason to keep his individual service record.

The only thing missing is his battalion. If you can read the name of his 'Captain of a Company' you may be able to discover that. Not being on the Waterloo Roll suggests 1st Battalion. But you can confirm that by looking up the musters in Kew. I have looked at several from the 1820s for the Guards and they were still using the old six-monthly ones rather than the later monthly ones. These only tell you where he was when the muster was compiled - sometimes several months after the event. But by looking at both battalions you will discover his and can then research what they did during his time.

Ken

[HLB1973]

Thanks very much Ken. I'll see what I can find.

Harry

[Iain...]

Wow Harry !   How lucky you are !   
See http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=660572.msg5061642#msg5061642

I live about an hour's drive from Waterloo and I'm down as a 'liasion officer' to the MoD and UK Embassy in Bruxelles for the bi-centenery events in 2015 here in Belgium.
Among the 2000 events being prepared for the week's festival is the UK Embassy's organization of the 'Duchess of Richmond's ball.'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKmqRqY0RLg