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Auction: 26003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 23

The 88th Foot Order of Merit awarded to Sergeant J. Bowmer, who was severely wounded at Talavera, Badajoz, Vitoria and Buenos Ayres, where he was also taken a Prisoner of War

88th Foot Order of Merit 1818, 1st Class Cross for 12 General Actions, silver, the reverse engraved 'Serjt. James Bowmer', fitted with straight bar suspension, this possibly a later replacement, otherwise good very fine

Ex-Jourdain, McPeake and Fevyer collections.

Approximately 75 1st Class Orders of Merit were awarded to soldiers of the 88th Foot, 15 of which were to Sergeants.

James Bowmer was born in St. Alkmund's in Derby circa 1779 and was a shoemaker by trade prior to his enlistment with the 88th (Connaught Rangers) Regiment of Foot at Seaford, Sussex on 22 April 1805. Bowmer was 26 years old and enlisted for Life and went on to spend the next thirteen years with his Regiment and see much action during the Peninsular War.

Bowmer was present with the 88th Foot at many major battles, and sustained wounds in a number of them. He was one of 240 men of the Regiment who suffered casualties at the disastrous Battle of Buenos Ayres in 1807, where the British faced heavy losses throughout and were forced to surrender. Bowmer was also allegedly taken prisoner of war during the battle. On the Peninsula, the 88th Foot fought hard as part of Colonel Donkin’s 2nd Brigade in the 3rd Division at the Battle of Talavera in July 1809. Bowmer, who was wounded in both legs during the battle, was one of the 110 casualties to the Regiment. The 88th Foot suffered even more at the Battle of Badajoz in 1812, sustaining a total of 250 casualties with Bowmer wounded in his right arm.

Bowmer was rewarded for his blood shed on 24 February 1813 with advancement to Corporal, in which rank he would remain for 8 years. He was again wounded at the Battle of Vitoria in June 1813, where his Regiment led the charge into the village of Arinez under the command of General Picton. Picton’s 3rd Division suffered heavily for their central role in the battle, with 300 casualties in the 88th Foot, including Bowmer.

After an action-packed military career, the 40-year-old Bowmer, who had been advanced to Serjeant just 94 days earlier, was discharged on 16 February 1819 owing to a reduction in the establishment of the 88th Foot. He had served nearly 14 years with the Colours. The papers note that his “Good” conduct and that he “has the cicatrices [scars] of a severe wound in left thigh, and slight wounds of both legs, right arm and hand received at Buenos Ayres, Talavera, Badajoz and Vittoria.”

Sold together with copied research.



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Estimate
£2,000 to £3,000

Starting price
£1800