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Auction: 18003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 11

Military General Service 1793-1814, 4 clasps, Roleia, Talavera, Busaco, Albuhera (Richard Chambers, 29th Foot.), good very fine

Provenance:
Dalton, 1874.
Glendining's, November 1977.

Richard Chambers served as a Private with the 29th (Worcestershire) Regiment of Foot at Roleia (also Roliça), one of the earliest battles of the Peninsular War. The 29th joined Sir Arthur Wellesley's army in January 1808, and were soon involved in efforts to liberate Portugal - England's oldest ally - following the French invasion three months earlier. On 17 August 1808, Wellesley, with over 15,000 men, engaged an outnumbered French column of 4,000 under General Delaborde some 40 miles north of Lisbon. The French occupied a formidable position on the heights of Zambugiera, above the village of Roleia. The French could only be attacked across deep ravines and water courses. This meant that although Wellington possessed numerical superiority, only the 5th, 9th and 29th Foot were able to engage the enemy. Remarkably, those three regiments succeeded in driving the French from their position. 487 casualties were sustained, of which 190 were from the 29th Foot.

The 29th formed part of Major-General 'Daddy' Hill's 2nd Division at Talavera (clasp) on 27 July 1809. Positioned on a hill called the Cerro de Medellin, Hill's Division defended Wellesley's left flank against repeated attacks by Victor's I Corps. During the night of 27 July, three French regiments tried to dislodge the 29th; the regiment calmly drove the enemy back with a single volley and a bayonet charge. The following day, Victor trained his artillery on the hill before launching the 24th and 96th Line regiments (6 battalions in total) in a final assault. The 29th were again up to the task, overwhelming the French columns with disciplined volleys. In the triumphant bayonet charge which followed, the 29th captured two Imperial Eagles.

At the Battle of Busaco (clasp) on 27 September 1810, Hill's Division held Wellington's right flank and saw little action, the main attack falling upon Picton's 3rd Division. At the Battle of Albuhera (clasp) on 16 May 1811, however, the 29th formed part of Major-General Hoghton's Brigade, one of the most hard-pressed of Beresford's army. The 57th (Middlesex) Regiment were also in this Brigade, and they had only one officer standing by the end of the battle. The 29th's Ensigns, Edward Furnace and Richard Vance, gave their lives to protect the colours.


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Sold for
£1,900