23rd Foot Waterloo and Military General Service Medal

[Veteran]

Hello everyone

I would be interested to know if Lieutenant A.A. BRICE served with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers and could have won a Military General Service Medal as well as a Waterloo Medal.

The 23rd Foot appears to have served in both campaigns. The question rather is : was there a Lieutenant A.A. BRICE ?

Thank you

Veteran

[Paul_1957]

Veteran,

He's on the MGS roll as a Lieut in the 23rd Foot entitled to a 2 clasp medal (Salamanca and Vittoria).

Paul

[Veteran]

Veteran,

He's on the MGS roll as a Lieut in the 23rd Foot entitled to a 2 clasp medal (Salamanca and Vittoria).

Paul

Thank you very much. This fast reply is greatly appreciated.

Best regards and wishes

Veteran

[Ulsterman]

Yes-he is listed on the Waterloo roll as serving with his regiment as a Lieutenant.

His full name was Alexander Adair Brice and he was made an Ensign on 8.8.1811.

He was promoted to Lt. on May 21, 1812 and lightly wounded on July 28th, 1813 in the Pyrenees while serving in the 1st battalion. (London Gazette). He served as an ADC to H. G. T. O'Laughlin in 1813-`1814 and rejoined the 23rd in late 1814.

At Waterloo the 23rd spent much of the day in square and was shot at frequently by French horse artillery. Towards the end of the battle one ball took out 25 men at once. One the whole though, the battalion didn't suffer extraordinary casualties.

Brice went on half pay in 1820.

Brice was listed in the Army List as a LT. of the 66th foot in the Yeomanry in 1860.

[Veteran]

Yes-he is listed on the Waterloo roll as serving with his regiment as a Lieutenant.

His full name was Alexander Adair Brice and he was made an Ensign on 8.8.1811.

He was promoted to Lt. on May 21, 1812 and lightly wounded on July 28th, 1813 in the Pyrenees while serving in the 1st battalion. (London Gazette). He served as an ADC to H. G. T. O'Laughlin in 1813-`1814 and rejoined the 23rd in late 1814.

At Waterloo the 23rd spent much of the day in square and was shot at frequently by French horse artillery. Towards the end of the battle one ball took out 25 men at once. One the whole though, the battalion didn't suffer extraordinary casualties.

Brice went on half pay in 1820.

Brice was listed in the Army List as a LT. of the 66th foot in the Yeomanry in 1860.

Thank you Ulsterman for this additional information. I really appreciate

Very best wishes

Veteran

[malcsampers]

Hi, I was surprised and fascinated to read these comments (which I stumbled across on a basic web search for Brice 23rd Foot) as I have just bought the medals discussed! I almost let my wife know I'd started buying medals again, a habit I was almost cured of. Obviously Veteran & I were watching the same auction.

They are in absolutely superb condition, being on original ribbons and in a bespoke silk-lined leather display case with Peninsula and Waterloo gold embossed on the lid.

Having just read 'A short account of the life and adventures of Private Thomas Jeremiah, 23rd or Royal Welch Fusiliers 1812 - 1837, including his experiences at the Battle of Waterloo' (the 'book' being almost as long as the title!), I was fascinated by what a hard day the RWF had at Waterloo. Without food for 2 days prior, they withstood at least 3 major attacks by French cavalry, then a column of infantry and repeatedly by 'cuirassiers who annoyed us very much during the remainder of the day'. I would be very interested to know more about Ulsterman's comments: 'He served as an ADC to H. G. T. O'Laughlin in 1813-`1814 and rejoined the 23rd in late 1814.' Who was H G T O'Laughlin ? When you say 'rejoined' was Brice with a different regiment during 1813-14 during Salamanca, Vittoria and Sauroren, where he was wounded on 28th July 1813?

Also, the comment about 25 men being killed by a single ball towards the end of the battle - I'd love to read more about this and the 23rd RWF; could anyone point me in the direction of further reading please?

Finally, if Brice took part in the Pyrenees battles (wounded 28th July Sauroren), why was he not entitled to the Pyrenees clasp on his CSM ?<BR style="mso-special-character: line-break">Sorry for the bombardment of questions, and sorry Veteran for pipping you at the post on the auction if you were bidding, they just seemed very cheap at the price.

very best wishes

MalcSampers<BR style="mso-special-character: line-break">

[Mervyn Mitton]

Very interesting that you bought the medals - must have been a surprise to find them being talked about on GMIC ?

Anyway - welcome to the Forum - now that you have the medals I think we would appreciate a photo ? Oh, Yes ! You should certainly start collecting again before the prices really take-off in a year or, so....

[Veteran]

Very interesting that you bought the medals - must have been a surprise to find them being talked about on GMIC ?

Anyway - welcome to the Forum - now that you have the medals I think we would appreciate a photo ? Oh, Yes ! You should certainly start collecting again before the prices really take-off in a year or, so....

Congratulations for this excellent buy. I was tempted to go for it, but the medals are really out of my collecting field. Could haven been a good investment, too.

It is nice to know that they are in good and understanding hands. Hope you enjoy having them for a long time.

Regards

Veteran

[malcsampers]

Hello again, I have been trying to upload some photos but can't make sense of the 'insert image' icon on the toolbar, as it seems to be looking for a URL /web page rather than an image from my saved files ... technology not my strong point. If there is an easy way of doing this please let me know and I'll try again.

While I'd love to hold on to the medals, I think they are worth considerably more than I paid for them, so I am tempted to test the market and see if I can pay off a few bills. I sold all my Victorian medals last year, (apart from a 4 clasp officially impressed Crimea, and an Ashantee War, which I m still researching ), and it was like saying goodbye to a limb, so I may put them to auction with a sensible reserve, and not be unhappy if they don't sell. I don't know what medal prices are doing just now, but I am sure somewhat better than the 0.5% my bank will give me. Regards Malc

[Ulsterman]

To briefly answer your questions:

1. I have no idea who General O'L. was, but Brice is noted as his ADC on his bio. card at the British Napoleonic RUSI card index. I infer that Brice was sent home to convalesce and ended up detached, but his card notes he rejoined his regt.. Of course O'L. may have been a Spanish general as well, as there were Irish Spaniards.

The 23rd actually didn't have much of a rough time. The column mentioned was the 3rd one of D'Erlons' attack-massive yes, but they barely got off a volley before they were ridden down and dispersed by the Union Brigade and Horse Guards. The French cavalry initially passed in front of them, but were driven off (outnumbered 6:1). Later in the afternoon the "menacing" was from the tag end of the massive french cavalry attacks, which, being unsupported, were not really that threatening. Now if only one french Division had been moved up along with 2-3 batteries, Waterloo might have ended differently.

There is a fascinating discussion on the Waterloo forum about company casualties of the 23rd and a VERY clever chap has been able to surmise the company template of the regimental square by the casualties. I do not know which company Brice was with, but the original muster rolls might show it. I have the older Officers roll call from 1965 which alas, does not show company assignments (sometimes).

[mossop]

Apparently this group sold on Ebay yesterday, if the buyer was anyone on the forum I can add some information/research if they want to PM me

Also I usually follow most of the auctions for these things for my records but missed this one. What auction did go through Veteran?

Mossop

[malcsampers]

Apparently this group sold on Ebay yesterday, if the buyer was anyone on the forum I can add some information/research if they want to PM me

Also I usually follow most of the auctions for these things for my records but missed this one. What auction did go through Veteran?

Mossop

Hi Mossop, No I still have the medals (I did put them on ebay briefly but withdrew them as I am awaiting further info from the original vendor), and would be happy to share photos of them with anyone interested, I have tried attaching pics here but the file sizes are too large for this forum, so email me directly if you want to see them. I assume that is okay as per forum rules? my email is msthemanor@yahoo.co.uk I wouldbe very interested if you have further info /research as I have been able to find nothing on the O'Laughlin mentioned.

MalcS