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Auction: 14003 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals and Militaria
Lot: 325

A Superb Twelve Clasp M.G.S. to Corporal J. McCoy, 88th Foot, Who Served With his Regiment on Five Continents, and Throughout the Entire Period of the Medal, from Egypt to Toulouse, and was Wounded on Three Occasions
Military General Service 1793-1814, twelve clasps, Egypt, Talavera, Busaco, Fuentes d'Onor, Ciudad Rodrigo, Badajoz, Salamanca, Vittoria, Nivelle, Nive, Orthes, Toulouse (J. Mc.Coy, 88th. Foot.), clasps and carriage neatly re-adjusted as usual to accommodate later officially authorised and issued 'Egypt' clasp, minor edge nick, therefore good very fine

Corporal John McCoy, born Maugherlain, Co. Down, Ireland, 1773; enlisted in the 88th Foot (Connaught Rangers), April 1797; served with the Regiment in Egypt, 1801-03, and in South America, where the Regiment was involved in the Taking of Buenos Aires, 1807; promoted Corporal, June 1809; subsequently served in the Peninsular, and present at all the clasp actions at which the 88th Foot were present, save for the Pyrenees; with the Regiment when the 88th captured the 'Jingling Johnnie' of the French 101st Regiment at Salamanca, 22.7.1812, which was paraded for the rest of the War; wounded in the leg at Badajoz, 6.4.1812, in the head at Vittoria, 21.6.1813, and in the shoulder at Orthes, 27.2.1814; discharged, July 1817, after 20 years and 116 days with the Colours; died at Newry, September 1859.

Corporal McCoy's Medal was at one time in the collection of Lieutenant-Colonel H.F.N. Jourdain, the last Colonel of the Connaught Rangers and a noted Regimental collector, his catalogue entry reading: 'This sturdy N.C.O. joined the 88th, went out to India, fought there for some months, came to Egypt with the 88th and marched across the desert to the Nile, and then up to Cairo, and when the campaign was concluded he came home, but not for long. He then went out to the Cape, on to South America and was present at Buenos Aires in 1807. After that campaign he came home with the 88th, but he did not remain at home. He proceeded with his Regiment to the Peninsular and served right through the war to 1814. After that he proceeded from Bordeaux to America, served at Plattsburg, and came home only a fortnight after Waterloo. But he had to wait till 1847 for his M.G.S. Medal, and to 1851 for his Egypt clasp. A wonderful example of the hardihood of this gallant Irish soldier. Why he was not allowed the clasp 'Pyrenees' is beyond our comprehension as he was with the Battalion.'

Approximately 18 Egypt clasps awarded to the 88th Foot, of which nine are single clasp awards; one 13-clasp award to the Regiment, and fourteen 12-clasp awards, McCoy's medal being a unique clasp combination to the Regiment.

Provenance: Glendining, May 1920
Glendining, June 1925
Spink, October 1977

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Sold for
£5,500