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Auction: 20002 - Orders, Decorations, Medals & Space Exploration
Lot: 9

Military General Service 1793-1814, 1 clasp, Ciudad Rodrigo (W. Cousins, Gunr. Royal Arty.), some edge wear and bruising, very fine

6 Medals with single clasp 'Ciudad Rodrigo' to the Royal Artillery.

William Cousins was born at Dunfermline in 1787 and was a labourer upon his enlistment on 13 November 1804. His enlistment whilst under-age was discovered in 1805, but Cousins remained in the service and was present during the Bombardment of Copenhagen from August-September 1807. The British fleet under Admiral Gambier opened fire from sea and a land force, with it an artillery element under Major-General Bloomfield, used the full force of its 84 field guns and 101 siege guns. They expended over 60,000 rounds and fired about 300 Congreve rockets in the attacks.

Cousins also saw 19 months of service in the Peninsula. At Ciudad Rodrigo, the Artillery took just eleven days of accurate bombarding to create two breaches in the walls and numbered 534 men, who fired 8,950 rounds from the 24lb guns and 565 from the 18lb guns, expending some 834 barrels of powder. Such were the superb efforts of the artillery that Wellington gave the unit a 'mention' for their speedy work in opening the walls for attack (London Gazette 20 January 1812, refers). Having seen further service in Malta and Guernsey and having suffered from chronic rheumatism in the left thigh and knee, he was discharged by the Medical Board on 9 April 1834. We was unmarried and was described as 'toothless in his upper jaw' but left the Army with very good conduct throughout his service; sold together with a file of detailed service records and research.

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Sold for
£1,000

Starting price
£480