Hi Josef
Yes I got it there some time ago, was a bit surprised how cheaply it went for. The Wundenberg medal is even nicer, he wrote a memoir about his experiences;
Fought for in the Prussian Army at Jena in 1806, fought in the Westphalian Army with the French Army during the invasion and subsequent retreat from Moscow in 1812. Fought in the Hanoverian Army with the British against the French during the Waterloo campaign in 1815!
MAJOR HEINRICH WUNDENBERG
Born Bockenem - Principality of Hildesheim 8th Sept 1788
Died Hildesheim 12th Nov 1870 aged 82
Jan 1806 conscripted into Prussian Guard aged 17.
Part of Corps of Prince Hohenlohe at battle of Jena Oct 1806 where he was wounded. He was captured at Prenzlau but escaped with two other soldiers.
1807- joined Westphalian Grenadier Guards - promoted Corporal and then Sergeant.
1809 - Transferred to 8th Infantry of Line forming at Hildesheim as NCO Instructor
1810 - Transferred to 1st Battalion Light Infantry Regiment (chasseurs) being formed at Paderborn
1811 - Promoted Lieutenant by vote of Officers of Corps
1812 - Regiment part of 8th Westphalian Army corps under Jerome, King of Westphalia that forms part of Napoleons Grand Armee invading Russia.
Takes part in Battles of Smolensk and Borodino as well as smaller affairs. Shot in chest at Battle of Borodino but fortunately saved by his greatcoat which was worn rolled and slung, therefore only badly bruised.
While the Westphalian Corps was left in the locality of Borodino, 1st and 2nd Light Battalions were assigned to the advanced guard which entered Moscow.
During the subsequent retreat from Moscow Wundenberg, along with 1 Captain and 60 Men were assigned to convoying the Ammunition Wagons when they were attacked and captured by 5/600 Cossacks. Wundenberg alone escapes -the rest of the prisoners die in captivity. He rejoins his Regiment and after much hardship what is left of the Grande Armee reaches the Berezina. Wundenberg is one of the few men to cross the river and is one of only 7 from his Regiment. The retreat continues and by the time they reach Prussian soil Wundenberg suffers a nervous breakdown at Posen, he is one of the lucky ones as the retreat as such is over but casualties have been terrible - especially those of the Westphalian’s. Out of 824 men of the 1st Westphalian Chasseurs who marched to Russia, only 6 returned. Out of the 27,000 Westphalian Contingent only 110 were to return at the end of November 1812!
1813 - Transferred to Grenadier Guards at Kassel, unit remains at Kassel during expedition against Saxon Army and therefore avoids having to fight them (much to Wundenberg’s relief)
1814 - Joines Hanoverian Army as Senior Lieutenant of Landwher Battalion Hildesheim (3rd Company).
July 1814 marches to Antwerp.
1815 - Landwher Battalion Hildesheim forms part of General Campbell’s Division of Wellington’s Army at Quatre Bras and Waterloo and capture of Paris.
1816 - Arrives back in Hildsheim in January and appointed Staff Captain.- all this accomplished by the age of 27!- Takes lessons in Mathematics, Arithmetic, Geometry and plan drawing.
1823 - Officer in charge of geometric surveying and praised by the Commission for his work.
1828 - Appointed Company CO, 6th Infantry at Stadt.
1836 - Gets Pneumonia - retires from Military with Rank of Major.
1839 - Appointed Manager of Post Office at Goslar.
1847 - Retires
Wrote Memoir ‘ My Military Experiences 1806 - 1816’ sept 1867 from which most of the above is extracted. This memoir is 29 pages long and contains much on the horrors of the 1812 campaign and to a lesser degree the Waterloo Campaign.
Mossop