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Auction: 24002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 281

The 2nd Class 88th Regiment of Foot Medal of Merit awarded to Robert McGrath who was wounded in the arm during the Battle of Vittoria on 21 June 1813

88th Regiment of Foot Medal of Merit, 2nd Class, silver, the obverse with Hibernia seated with her arm outstretched holding a wreath and with her other arm resting on a harp, the reverse engraved with the following ten campaigns, Orthes, Badajoz, Vittoria, Salamanca, Fuentes D'Onor, Ciudad Rodrigo Pyrenees, Toulouse, Nivelle, Nive (Robert McGrath) impressed either side of the suspension bar, the suspension bar 'PENINSULA', a couple of edge bruises otherwise very fine, the obverse deeply toned, the reverse less so

Recorded in Balmer (R523).

Robert McGrath was born in Ballymote, a small town in County Sligo, Ireland on 16 October 1791. On his 17th birthday he enlisted in the 88th Foot at Sligo Town. He was posted to No. 8 Company, 1st Battalion and joined the Regiment in the Peninsula, where it was part of General Picton’s 3rd Division, and served with them throughout the Peninsula campaign. During the Battle of Vittoria on 21 June 1813, the 88th Foot faced some of the heaviest fighting and took part in a series of bayonet charges. As a result of this, the regiment suffered 210 casualties. McGrath was among them as he was wounded in his left arm.

In June 1814, McGrath was sent to Canada with the rest of the 88th Foot.
Soon afterwards they were recalled back to Europe shortly after Napoleon escaped from Elba arriving, however, too late to be involved in the Waterloo campaign. Afterwards, they formed part of the army of occupation and eventually returned to Ireland. McGrath was discharged on 24 November
1818, his conduct is listed as ‘good’. In 1833 he is noted as being employed
as a weaver, however after this there is no further trace of him.

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Sold for
£1,800

Starting price
£1300