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    Gathering of Waterloo & Peninsular Veterans 1849


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    Dear All,

    Recent addition to the collection is a Corunna MGS to a Private (Job Hardman) of the Royal Scots or 1st Foot. In researching him, I came across his name in a newspaper article from the "Preston Chronicle and Lancashire Advertiser, June 23 1849"

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    He was part of an annual dinner, held in Preston, to mark the Waterloo anniversary...the article states that for some years the Peninsular war vets had also been included. Notably, in the year of this report, the veterans of the peninsular were wearing, for the first time, their long overdue MGS medals...and some comment was made upon them, the number of clasps, and the pride with which they wore them. I can not explain better than the actual text of the report, so have included some of these below...hope you find the descriptions and names of interest:

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    12a4abafe35883d037e2d5e86cdd50c6_zpsed8b

    d7c8183cef3e17aa11b8401dd1d66e48_zps6659

    75ebb29119c49b8cd9d3191e9b9a281e_zps6ca0

    31e71537e85e69fd4d3cf71188a55bd4_zpsf36a

    This is not the full article, which goes on for many paragraphs with speeches and references to the band of the 52nd Foot....if anyone would like the full article, which I have PDF'd then please just pm me.

    I would like to make reference to one quote on the long awaited issue of the MGSM: "I trust you will cherish and value them. Keep them to your dying day, and, after your death, I trust they will be valued by your children or nearest relatives". How I would like to have been there to witness it....

    Job Hardmans papers state that he was wounded in the hand at Walcheren and this was the reason for his discharge. Paints a pretty miserable picture of service...the epic events of Corunna followed by the disease and other dramas of Walcheren...yet, still he paraded proudly (I presume) at Preston in 1849. As a retired soldier and officer, I know well how time and distance dims the 'bad bits' and amplifies all the good bits...comradeship in adversity, adventure and etc...

    Owen

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