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Auction: 26003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 21

The Waterloo Medal to Private John Wood, 71st Foot who was wounded in the battle but survived the action

Waterloo 1815, fitted with steel clip and replacement steel ring suspension (John Wood 1st Batt. 71st Reg. Foot.), D of Wood rubbed, otherwise with light contact marks very fine

William Wood was born circa 1796 and was a smith, living at Chester, when he attested at Edinburgh on 6 December 1814 and served in Captain Samuel Reed's Company in the 1st Battalion 71st Foot; the muster sheet ending 24 June 1815 notes him being 'Wounded Brussels'.

In January 1815 orders were issued for the 71st to sail for America but bad weather prevented the battalion from sailing for two months by which time Napoleon had escaped from Elba and the battalion was ordered to sail instead for Ostend. The 71st played no part in the battle of Quatre Bras but did do excellent service two days later at Waterloo where the battalion lost 16 officers and 198 men killed and wounded. The battalion marched on to Paris after the battle and remained in France until the end of October 1818 when it embarked at Calais for Dover, which was reached on 29 October 1818.

Sold with minor photocopied research.

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Estimate
£1,400 to £1,800

Starting price
£1100