Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Sergeant William Anderson, 3rd Foot Guards, who was wounded in the ankle in Egypt and suffered a fractured skull in Portugal

Military General Service 1793-1814, 7 clasps, Egypt, Talavera, Ciudad Rodrigo, Salamanca, Vittoria, Nivelle, Nive (W. Anderson, Serjt. 3rd Foot Gds.) very fine £1600-1800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Napoleonic War Medals.

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Provenance: Sotheby, February 1886; Whitaker Collection 1890; Spink, April 1974. On each of these occasions sold with 4 clasps, Egypt, Talavera, Busaco, Ciudad Rodrigo, the medal has since been professionally restored with the correct entitlement.

William Anderson was born in the Parish of Newbury, Cupar, Fife, and attested for the 3rd Foot Guards on 25 March 1799, being promoted to Corporal in March 1805 and to Sergeant in October 1809. He was transferred to the 7th Royal Veteran Battalion on 25 December 1813, and discharged from the 2nd Royal Garrison Company in March 1815. The Surgeon’s report, dated Hospital 3rd Guards, February 28, 1815, states ‘We certify that Serjeant Anderson, late of the Third Regiment of Guards was wounded in the left ankle in Egypt, and had his skull fractured at Niza in Portugal while on duty, having at that period the charge of the sick of the 2nd Brigade of Guards, being ordered by the Commandant to apprehend some soldiers who were in the act of robbing their officers on the way to the A[rmy] and it is our opinion that he is rendered incapable of any further military duty.’

Sold with copied discharge papers.