Reyes

The medal looks pretty good to me although the ring clip looks to have been re-soldered and may not be original. The medal may have been "broached" at some time, hence the missing ring and ribbon and what looks to be telltale signs around the rim. In hand to a medal collector will quickly tell.

The Waterloo Medal Roll has Richard Smith in the 2nd Battalion 73rd Regiment of Foot (Perthshire Regt) - which checks with the inscription - in Captain John Pike's Company. The 73rd had Dark Green facings and Gold lace.

The 2nd/73rd Foot fought in the Battle of Quatre Bras two days before Waterloo. They lost 53 men killed and wounded. At the Battle of Waterloo itself, the regiment was charged by French Cavalry no less than 11 times during the battle and bombarded by French artillery. It remained in square without breaking. The 2nd/73rd lost 6 officers and 225 men killed and wounded, the second heaviest casualties suffered by a line infantry regiment, after the 1st 27th (Inniskillings) which lost 450 out of 700 men in holding their square and Wellington's line. After Waterloo the battalion was part of the Army of Occupation in Paris before moving back to England. The 2nd Battalion disbanded in 1817 sending 300 men to the 1st Battalion in Trincomalee.

I'm sure those with access to Ancestry will be able to give you more details on Richard, also the many medal experts on here will help with the medal.

Spaz

Spaz -- thank you for the reply and fascinating information. What source did you use for information.

Did Richard Smith's name appear in Captain Pike's company?

Bud

Bud

The Waterloo medal roll (that the Royal Mint has in its collection) lists all that received the medal and includes who's company the recipient was in. Find my past website has the roll - you can buy access on a pay as you go basis. It will also have more details of Richard's life if you have the time to search Census and all military records. Ancestry will also have details if you spend the time to search - this site also costs.

A free site is birth marriages and deaths (BMD free) but this will only be helpful once you've identified birth place, mum and dad etc. But it will show marriages and kids to help track things.

It would be worth searching the National Archives for more details as they will have enlistment, muster rolls and discharge papers which will describe Richard, give details of pay, ranks, location depending on his discharge point. Either Chelsea or Kilmainham Hospital. The site is almost impossible to search out any details and you have to order copies of any paperwork you find. You can either book a visit (and tell them beforehand what you are looking for) or get them to do a search for you. It takes some time but is usually well worth the wait. Private searchers will also do this for you and are much quicker but more expensive. You can find them fairly easily on the web.

Although we already know he was 2nd Btn of the 73rd and there is a fair amount of info available available on the net. They eventually amalgamated with the 42nd to form the Royal Highland Regiment or better known as The Black Watch.

Loads to find out, keep hold of the medal, it's proper British history. I wish it were mine.

Good luck

Spaz

Spaz

I'm not sure what you meant in the 2nd line of last post (Find my past website has the roll - you can buy access on a pay as you go basis.).

What is the name of the website you refer to -- or, is it yours??

Bud

Bud

Sorry, me not being very clear - www.findmypast.co.uk - is the site that have the Waterloo medal roll. You have to search in the roll using first and last names, it then gives you a list of all the Richard Smiths. As he's from the 73rd he'll be lower down the list (just in case you are paying as you go or you'll waste your credits searching every Richard Smith in the list). It'll show who was his Captain and what regiment he was in, nothing else, but it does confirm he was there. You can also purchase a printed certificate to display but it's new and made up by the site.

To get access to original paperwork (or at least copies of them) - medal entitlements, (he may have others that he is entitled to particularly if he transferred from other regiments or stayed on in the army - most army personnel in those days did a few years unless they were killed, sick or injured), postings etc it would be worth contacting www.nationalarchives.gov.uk to get a copy of his discharge papers (costs only pence if you can find it yourself on their website - best of luck as it's a horrible unuser friendly website) which would give you a clue as to where to next look. There are contacts on their website if you would like someone to search for you (well worthwhile).

Best of luck, let us know how you get on.

Spaz

Spaz,

Thanks for your help -- with the help of my wife I figured out that you were referring to website "findmypast". She picked up on it pretty quick so it was me, not you.

Now the search begins.

Thanks again for ur help -- And hey mate, thanks for the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and many others from UK.

Bud

Hi reyes!

Just found this post do you dtill have the medal and is it for sale?

Please let me know

Also can supply a steel clip and ring as it should have originally

Best regards

les R