Great Britain Gathering of Waterloo & Peninsular Veterans 1849

[Owen]

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"

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:

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

[Mervyn Mitton]

A most sought after medal , and thankyou for taking the time to post the newspaper report. Formal style of those days,

but most interesting to 'feel' the pride these man had with their new medals. Mervyn

[azyeoman]

Very nice! Thanks for the newspaper article with the nominal roll; it should help other collectors who are fortunate enough to have a medal to one of those recipients like you.

[Owen]

Thanks to both of you for taking time to comment, I always hope the medals and info will be of interest and use to others. Owen