Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria, to include the Brian Ritchie Collection (Part I)

The Waterloo and Bhurtpoor campaign pair to Private Benjamin Smith, 14th Foot, one of the Waterloo veterans who formed the front rank at the storming of Bhurtpoor

(a) Waterloo 1815 (Benjamin Smith, 3rd Batt. 14th Reg. Foot) fitted with replacement silver clip and straight bar suspension

(b) Army of India 1799-1826, 1 clasp, Bhurtpoor (B. Smith, 14th Foot) short hyphen reverse, officially impressed naming

(c) together with a Military General Service 1793-1814, 1 clasp, Java (Benjamin Smith, 14th Foot) this with brooch marks to the reverse, edge bruising and contact marks, good fine, the first two nearly very fine or better
£2000-2500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Brian Ritchie Collection of H.E.I.C. and British India Medals.

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Waterloo and Army of India ex Glendining September 1919 and May 1924, and listed by J. B. Hayward in December 1970. The medal for Java was acquired separately and is not confirmed as the same recipient, nor indeed does it appear on the medal rolls. However The Army L.S. & G.C. 1830-48, by McInnes and Gregson, shows Benjamin Smith as being entitled to the M.G.S. and Army of India medals, in addition to the L.S. & G.C. awarded in January 1834, but makes no mention of Waterloo.

Benjamin Smith, we learn, was born at Taddington, Bedfordshire, circa 1793, and attested for the 14th Foot at Stilton, Northants, on 6 December 1813, aged twenty-one years. His discharge papers confirm that he was present at the battle of Waterloo, for which he is credited with 2 years service, and that he served in the East Indies from October 1818 until January 1831, which period covers the capture of Bhurtpoor, where the front rank of the 14th Foot consisted of Waterloo veterans, each of whom wore his Waterloo medal. Benjamin Smith was finally discharged at Athlone on 10 June 1833.

From the information examined it would appear that Benjamin Smith is entitled to the medals for Waterloo, Bhurtpoor, and Long Service, but that he cannot have been present at the capture of Java in 1811. No other Benjamin Smith has been found in the regiment at this period.

Refs: WO 97/358