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Auction: 22001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 438

(x) Military General Service 1793-1814, 3 clasps, Vimiera, Fuentes D'Onor, Ciudad Rodrigo (H. Sunderland, Serjt. 52nd Foot), extremely fine

Provenance:
Sotheby's June 1904 & December 1921.
Spink February 1976.

Henry Sunderland was born on 31 May 1781 at Heptonstall in West Yorkshire, and appears to have enjoyed a long and distinguished career with the 52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot. Whilst his clasp entitlement is confirmed on the Medal Roll, he is noted as additionally participating in the Ferrol Expedition (August 1800), the Expedition to Copenhagen (1807), Vimiera (August 1808), Fuentes d'Onoro (May 1811), Ciudad Rodrigo (January 1812), and Merxem/Bergen-op-Zoom (March 1814).

Clearly a man of some education and ability, over the years he steadily rose through the ranks to become Serjeant-Major by 1814. He continued to serve post-war and in July 1821 was promoted Ensign & Adjutant. Going on Half-Pay in March 1822, he died at Pontefract on 15 October 1858. His gravestone (at All Saints' Churchyard, Pontefract), still exists and reads: In Memory of Henry Sunderland, Formerly Adjutant in H.M. 52nd Regt. of Lt. Inft., Born Heptonstall 31st May 1787, Died at Pontefract 15th Oct 1858, Aged 77 Years. He Served With Distinction at the Following Battles and Sieges as a Cpl at Ferrol, as a Sergt at Kioge, Vimiera, Sabugal, Fuentes De Onoro, Ciudad Rodrigo, as Sergt Major at Merxem. He was Admired as a Gallant Soldier and Died Sincerely Regretted, this Stone is Erected as a Token of Affection by his Son.

Both battalions of the 52nd served with great distinction during the Peninsula War - the first battalion in particular - being assigned to the famous 'Light Brigade' commanded (until his death in action in 1812) by the fearsome Major-General Robert "Black Bob" Craufurd. At Vimiera three companies of the 2/52nd were the first to encounter French troops; at Fuentes d'Onoro the Light Division added yet further laurels to its' reputation by saving the beleaguered 7th Division from annihilation by the French, before conducting a textbook example of a fighting withdrawal across an open plain, forming squares to repulse enemy cavalry charges time and again until they reached the safety of Wellington's main position. At Ciudad Rodrigo the 52nd played yet another prominent part: Colonel Colbourne (later Field-Marshal, 1st Baron Seaton) captured the Francisco redoubt with several companies of the Light Division; Lieutenant John Gurwood commanded the 'Forlorn Hope' in the assault on the fortress proper; and Major George Napier led the first of the four storming columns into the breaches. Not for nothing did the distinguished military historian and army officer Sir William Napier (a brother of the George Napier mentioned above) later state that the 52nd was as "a regiment never surpassed in arms since arms were first borne by men".

Subject to 5% tax on Hammer Price in addition to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium.

Sold for
£2,000

Starting price
£700