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Auction: 15003 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals and Militaria
Lot: 117

(x) A Fine Army Small Gold Medal to Major Robert Kelly, 47th Foot, Who Commanded His Regiment at the Battles of Vittoria and St. Sebastian, Before Being Killed Leading His Men At the Forefront of the Assault on St. Sebastian Fortress, 31.8.1813
Field Officer´s Small Army Gold Medal for Vittoria (Major Robert Kelly), extremely fine, with integral gold riband buckle

Major Robert Kelly was commissioned Ensign, 47th Foot, March 1791; Lieutenant, February 1794; Captain-Lieutenant, June 1798; and was made Captain of a Company, June 1806, before advancing to Major, July 1810; he commanded the 2/47th during the Peninsula campaign, including at the battle of Vittoria, 21.6.1813, when they served in Major-General Frederick Robinson's 2nd Brigade (which comprised of the 2/47th, 1/4th, 2/59th and a company of Brunswick Oels Jager), as part of Major-General John Oswald's 5th Division. The 5th Division formed part of Lieutenant-General Thomas Graham's Left Column at the battle. The 2nd Brigade carried the village of Gamarra-Mayor at the point of the bayonet under heavy artillery and musket fire. They repulsed numerous desperate efforts by the French to recover the position. After the battle Graham praised the brigade thus:

"The attack of the village of Gamarra by Major-General Robinson's brigade was justly admired by all who witnessed it. Too much praise cannot be given to Major-General Robinson and the troops of his brigade for their persevering defence of a post so gallantly won, against numerous artillery and great masses of infantry, the enemy employed to retake it, in repeated attacks."

A month later Kelly led his regiment, still as part of the 2nd Brigade, 5th Division, at the Siege of St. Sebastian, 17th July - 8th September 1813. The 2/47th were one of the battalions that led the second, and successful, assault on the fortress, 31.8.1813. This success was not without great loss, including Kelly himself who was killed during the maelstrom, 'On the 31st, once breaches had been made which were deemed practiable, a second and successful assault was made. Crossing the River Urumea, which was fordable at low tide, the British rushed up to the main breach, but were met by such a storm of shot and shell that each man, as he mounted, was swept down. Again and again the assailants mounted the breach, and again and again they were swept down by a resistless hurricane of fire. Thus the slaughter continued for two hours; the attack seemed hopeless and it appeared that the British would have to retire a second time, repulsed from the walls of St. Sebastian. Sir Thomas Graham, seeing the state of affairs, after consulting with Colonel Dickson, commanding the artillery, resolved upon the desperate expedient of firing over, and within a few feet of, the heads of the attacking party on the breach. By chance, a shell fell amongst some powder barrels, grenades and other combustibles stored up behind the breach, the explosion of which fired a mine prepared for the destruction of the assailants; the French were, for a time, paralysed by this disaster, which blew up 300 of their grenadiers. Under cover of the smoke and confusion which ensued, the British mounted the breach and entered the town.' (British Battles and Medals, refers)

The losses were severe, during the entire operation the Allies suffered 951 officers and men killed, and 2490 wounded. During the second assault the 2/47th not only lost their brigade commander (Major-General Robinson) wounded, but suffered a succession of losses to commanding officers, 'Lieutenant-General Sir J. Leith commends highly Captain Livesay, who succeeded to the command of the 47th Foot on Major Kelly being killed, and kept it till wounded, when the command devolved on Lieutenant Power, who ably performed.' (General Graham's St. Sebastian despatch, dated Oyarzun, 1.9.1813, refers).

Whilst Kelly's entitlement to a St. Sebastian Bar to his medal is undoubted, Gold Medals and Bars were not automatically issued to those killed in action. There appears to be no evidence in the London Gazette to suggest that the Bar was either sanctioned after his death, or indeed forwarded to his family.

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Sold for
£19,000