Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Military General Service 1793-1814, 8 clasps, Vimiera, Talavera, Ciudad Rodrigo, Badajoz, Salamanca, Vittoria, Pyrenees, Nive (J. Castelow, Serjt. 43rd Foot) toned, nearly extremely fine £2,400-£3,000

Provenance: Professor A. Leyland Robinson Collection; Spink, March 1978.

Only 1 officer, 1 N.C.O. and 18 men of the 43rd received the clasp for Talavera, where they formed part of the 1st Battalion of Detachments, containing men from various regiments left behind in Portugal after the departure of the British army after the battle of Corunna.

John Castelow (Costello, Costellow) first appears in the musters of the 1st Battalion in early 1808 but no personal details given. He is shown as being sick in hospital for 36 days in the September 1809 quarter. Promoted to Corporal on 24 December 1813, and is shown as sick in hospital January to April 1814. He was promoted to Sergeant on 24 June 1814 and transferred to the 2nd Battalion on 26 October 1814. He was admitted to an out-pension at Chelsea on 10 February 1852, Leeds District, and died at Leeds in June 1853.