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Auction: 23003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 8

Military General Service 1793-1814, 3 clasps, Corunna, Vittoria, Pyrenees (W. Smallwood, Serjt 6th Foot), about extremely fine

William Smallwood is confirmed upon the roll with entitlement to this Medal and clasps; he appears to be one of five members of the regiment to claim this number and combination.

The 6th (1st Warwickshire) Regiment of Foot were sent to the Iberian Peninsula in 1808, seeing action at the opening battles of Rolica and Vimeiro (17 and 21 August respectively) before marching in to Spain with the army of Sir John Moore. Forced to withdraw to Corunna due to overwhelming numbers of French troops initially led by Napoleon himself, the subsequent retreat to that port in the depths of winter led to terrible numbers of casualties - the 6th was no exception, their numbers being reduced by 400 men before any fighting had taken place. Safely removed back to Britain, the battalion next participated in the equally disastrous Walcheren Campaign (July - December 1809) where more men died of disease than in action against their French and Dutch foes.

Again removed to Britain, the 6th spent several years recovering and recruiting before heading back to Spain in 1812. Present at the Battle of Vittoria (21 June 1813), on 25 July the same year they participated in the famous defence of the mountain passes at Roncesvalles which saw much close-quarter fighting against overwhelming numbers of French. In August they earned the praise of the Duke of Wellington himself for their assault on the Heights of Echalar, the army commander watching their attack and later stating: 'The most gallant and the finest thing; it is impossible that I can extol too highly the conduct of these brave troops.' The renowned historian (and veteran) of the Peninsular War, William Napier, further mentioned them in his history: 'By sheer force of arms, 1500 men had driven 6000 good French troops from a position so rugged that there would have been little to boast of if the numbers had been reversed and the defence made good.'

Surviving many years of arduous campaigning, Sergeant Smallwood appears to have transferred to the 2nd Veteran Battalion in June 1816, his papers noting a 'Pulmonic Affection' - perhaps brought on by those years of hard service in formidable climates.

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Sold for
£1,800

Starting price
£550