Orders, Decorations and Medals

Three: Private James Duncan, 42nd Royal Highlanders, wounded at Salamanca and Toulouse

Military General Service 1793-1814, 7 clasps, Corunna, Salamanca, Pyrenees, Nivelle, Nive, Orthes, Toulouse (James Duncan, 42nd Foot); Waterloo 1815 (James Duncan 42nd or R.H. Reg. Infantry) fitted with steel clip and ring suspension; 42nd Foot Medal 1819, silver, Balmer R335a (Js. Duncan) light contact marks and edge bruising, otherwise very fine (3) £4000-5000

Ex Payne Collection 1911 and Glendining’s, February 1953.

James Duncan enlisted into the 42nd Foot as a Private on 3 May 1803. He served at Gibraltar from November 1805 for three years, doing marines duty aboard the San Juan for three months at the beginning of 1808. Promoted to Corporal in September 1808, he returned to England where he was quartered at Shorncliffe, Canterbury, Musselburgh and Lewes until March 1812, when he returned to Spain. He was wounded at the battle of Salamanca in July 1812 and did not return to duty until December 1813, which indicates that his wounds were probably quite severe. He had been reduced to Private in August 1813 and fought in that rank throughout the actions in the Pyrenees and at Nivelle, Nive, Orthes and Toulouse. Duncan was again wounded in the action at Toulouse in April 1814 when the 42nd suffered very severe casualties. He was at Kilkenny from June 1814 until January 1815, when he returned to the Low Countries and took part in the battle of Waterloo, serving in Captain Donald Chisholm’s Company.

From September 1815 he was on detachment in the North of England and Scotland, where he was engaged in recruiting. He returned to Ireland in November 1818, being stationed at Dublin and Kilkenny until his discharge to Kilmainham Hospital Pension which took place on 20 June 1821. Sold with comprehensive copied muster rolls.