Waterloo Medal - Royal Waggon Train

[Owen]

I posted this elsewhere on the forum, but it was a little buried. Am re-posting here (with some more details of research to date) because I would be interested to see Waterloo Medals held by other members.

The following Waterloo Medal is in my own collection:

Medal is correctly named to (Private) George Cooling of the Royal Waggon Train. I have researched Cooling at Kew and found detail as follows:

Born: 1786 or 1787 at Bearton, Buckinghamshire

Army Service:

Regimental No: 14

Rank: Private

Name: George Cooling

Active Service:

· 4 ½ Years in the Peninsula (detail not yet known)

· 9 Months in Flanders & France

Awards:

Waterloo Medal: In the Waterloo Medal Roll, George Cooling is listed under Royal Waggon Train (Entry No 111) as a Private

Outline Military Biography:

1809: Attested for the Royal Wagon Train at Croydon, Surrey on 01 Feb 1809 (aged 23)

1814: Discharged on 18 Sep 1814

1815: Re-enlisted 30 April 1815.

1828: Imprisoned from 13 – 24 May 1828 (12 days) by sentence of Garrison Court Martial (offence not recorded). Re-joined the RWT on 25 May 1828.

1832: Medical discharge to pension 31 May 1832, aged 46¼ (served 24 yrs & 250 days).

Board convened: Hythe, Kent on 22 May 1832.

Board: Brevet Major Basil Jackson (Cooling's Commanding Officer)

Lt O'Neill (on the Waterloo Medal Roll as Henry O'Neill – was a Lt back in 1815)

Lt Macdowall (on the Waterloo Medal Roll as Joseph McDowall – was a Lt back in 1815)

Conduct & Character: Very Good.

Description: Height: 5 feet and 4½ inches Hair: Dark Brown Eyes: Hazle Complexion: Pale

Civilian Trade: Labourer

Reason for Discharge: "Found to be worn out and unfit for service at the half yearly Inspection by ... on 12 May 1832. Ordered to be sent to the Invalid Depot at Chatham agreeably to a letter from the Adjutant General of 15 may 1832 – There is no Medical Officer on the Establishment, but the Officers of the Regimental Board know that this old soldier hav (sic) been afflicted with frequent attacks of Rheumatism and is quite worn out from weakness and debility."

Personal Note: Research to date presents a quite sad (but I'm sure quite typical) case of an old Waterloo veteran soldier (who remained a Private for his 24 years of service) being medically discharged for being 'too knackered' to go on'. However, I get a strong sense that there was a lot of compassion in how he was handled, by both the army and his Regt (Royal Waggon Train). The board that approved his discharge, certainly would have had a lot of empathy with him: it consisted of his CO (a Brevet Major of advanced years (he died in 1849, aged 92 years – so would have been 75 at the time Cooling was discharged 17 years earlier!) who had been a Captain in the RWT at Waterloo) and 2 x Lt's (each of whom had also been Lt's at Waterloo). So, Cooling and the Board were all Waterloo Veterans of advanced years who had not been promoted (Major Jackson had a Brevet Majority only).

Historical footnote: Cooling's Officer Commanding at time of his discharge (1832) was Major Basil Jackson – Major Jackson's son (Lt Basil Jackson) was on Wellington's Staff at Waterloo and went with Napoleon to Exile.

Family:

Not known when Cooling married, but after discharge he and his wife settled in Orlestone, Kent. He appears in the 1841 England Census (aged 54) living in the Parish of Orlestone (Hundred of Romney Marsh Liberty, County of Kent, Registration District of East Ashford, Sub-registration District of Aldington). Also listed with him are:

1. Eleanor Aged 38 (Spouse?)

2. Sarah Aged 14

3. Harriott Aged 12

4. John Aged 10

5. Ellen Aged 6

6. Jane Aged 3

7. NK Aged 6 days

[peter monahan]

I posted this elsewhere on the forum, but it was a little buried. Am re-posting here (with some more details of research to date) because I would be interested to see Waterloo Medals held by other members.

Medal is correctly named to (Private) George Cooling of the Royal Waggon Train. I have researched Cooling at Kew and found detail as follows:...

Reason for Discharge: "Found to be worn out and unfit for service at the half yearly Inspection by ... on 12 May 1832.

Personal Note: Research to date presents a quite sad (but I'm sure quite typical) case of an old Waterloo veteran soldier (who remained a Private for his 24 years of service) being medically discharged for being 'too knackered' to go on'.

But not so knackered that he produced 3 of his 6 children after discharge, the last at the fairly advanced age of 54 years

Peter

Edited September 11, 2010 by peter monahan

[Owen]

But not so knackered that he produced 3 of his 6 children after discharge, the last at the fairly advanced age of 54 years

Peter

Fair point..and with a woman 16 years his junior...perhaps being knackered was nothing to do with his army service! :blush:

[Mervyn Mitton]

Half the World is populated with children the British soldiers managed to produce - why should he be any different.........

[Owen]

I just thought some of you might like to know that as a result of this Waterloo medal (to George Cooling, Royal Waggon Train) being posted here on GMIC, I have been contacted by the great great great grandson of George Cooling (Phil Cooling) and we are hoping to get Phil (and his family) together with the medal before too much longer.

Interestingly, Phil Cooling and his family still live in the same area of Buckinghamshire that George Cooling was born (Bearton) and grew up in. When George was medically discharged from the army, in 1832, he settled, with his wife (Eleanor) and children, in Orlestone, Kent (which is just a stones throw from where his medal surfaced). Phil Cooling tells me that, from his own research: both George (Cooling) and Eleanor died (in quick succession) in 1845 and their three youngest children then moved to Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire where they were listed as being in the Work House in 1851. Aylesbury is the major town near Beirton (this is the current spelling of Bearton) where George was born. Phil's family have lived in the area virtually continuously since. Phil Cooling still passes through Beirton on his daily commute!

This is posted with Phil Cooling's permission.

[Mervyn Mitton]

Amazing how often medals provide links to families. However, it is obvious that it took your research to make

contact. Well done Monkey. I hope the meeting goes well and that you will let us see a photo and have a brief

report. I wonder if they have any idea if the 'old man' resembles any of his descendents ? Mervyn

[Owen]

Thanks for the kind words Mervyn. It is a very satisfying and quite poignant reunion - especially as we run in towards the 200th anniversary of the Battle. I will provide any follow up detail as and when. With regard to family resemblances...we at least have a description of George Cooling, from his papers (Height: 5 feet and 4½ inches Hair: Dark Brown Eyes: Hazle Complexion: Pale). For me, the reason for collecting is the tangible link with the past event and time and to be able to bridge the family gap of nearly 200 years has real depth of meaning. It sort of makes sense of everything and I am sure that I am not alone in feeling this.

I have something else going on, with another Waterloo medal, that quite excites me, but I will post detail of that a bit later!

Owen