South Devon Militia Medal of Merit 1799, 31mm, silver, the obverse featuring trophy of arms enclosed by a wreath, with the circumscription ‘To the South Devon Militia in Testimony of Merit 1799’, the reverse featuring the arms of Waterford, unnamed, with small loop suspension, edge bruising and light contact marks, good very fine, rare £400-£500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals from the Collection of Peter and Dee Helmore.

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Referenced in Hastings Irwin, p.396; Balmer, V.243.

The South Devon Militia were stationed in Waterford, Ireland, from 1798 to 1799. It was largely due to their presence that the rising of 1798 was contained so effectively within the city, unlike other areas which suffered greatly in the unrest. As a result of their good service, it was resolved unanimously by the Waterford Corporation that the Freedom of the City be presented in a gold box to the Colonel of the regiment, and that certain selected members of the regiment be awarded a specially struck silver medal. It is recorded in Annals of the Militia being The Records of the South Devon Regiment that ‘[t]his is the first instance amongst existing Regiments of a gift of a medal to be worn by men in recognition of military services.’ It is not known exactly how many medals were struck in total, but fewer than 10 examples are known to have survived today.

Sold with copied article from the Journal of the Medal Society of Ireland, May 1994.