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Auction: 22002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 5

Waterloo 1815 (Joseph Toope, 1st Batt. 40th Reg. Foot), fitted with contemporary replacement steel clip and ring suspension, light contact marks, otherwise good very fine

John Toope was born at Frome, Somerset, and enlisted into the 40th Foot on 6 February 1809. He served at Vittoria, the Pyrenees, Orthes and Toulouse during 1813-14. In that second action he was wounded in the thigh and leg at Pamplona on 28 July 1813, as event recalled by Smythies in History of the 40th Regiment:

'We were drawn up in a line, a little retired from the brow of the hill, and were prepared for the worst. When the French gained the brow of the hill, the order to charge was given, and with a threatening shout, vehement and prolonged, our Battalion singly fell upon them with the bayonet, shivering their compact order and sweeping them some distance down the descent.'

The French made another attempt and were again forced at the point of the bayonet when the enemy were within 25 yards of the 40th. They even had a famed spectator in close order:

'Lord Wellington was close at hand a witness of the whole and sent the Prince of Orange to congratulate the Regiment, and we were immediately re-inforced by two Regiments. The French loss on and about the hill was 600, our loss was only 100.'

He shared in further actions and was present at the Battle of Waterloo, serving in Captain Stewart's Company but was admitted sick on 24 June and 24 July 1815. Toope was discharged on 24 February 1817 and was admitted as an In-Pensioner to the Royal Hospital Chelsea on 1 July 1849, having been drawing a pension since September 1818. Toope died on 15 April 1850 and is buried in the grounds of the Royal Hospital, Chelsea, and had lived to claim a Military General Service Medal & 4 clasps (named Toop).

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Sold for
£1,900

Starting price
£1600