Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A very fine and scarce 12-clasp M.G.S. medal awarded to Private Henry Campbell, who served with the 52nd Foot at Corunna, throughout the Peninsula war in Spain and France, and afterwards at Waterloo

Military General Service 1793-1814, 12 clasps, Corunna, Busaco, Fuentes D’Onor, Ciudad Rodrigo, Badajoz, Salamanca, Vittoria, Pyrenees, St. Sebastian, Nivelle, Orthes, Toulouse (Henry Campbell, 52nd Foot.) original ribbon, two minor edge bruises, otherwise good very fine £8,000-£10,000

Sotheby, February 1921; Needes Collection 1925, sold Glendining, July 1940; Dix Noonan Webb, December 2013 and May 2019.

Only 87 medals were issued with 12 clasps including 18 to the 52nd Foot.

Henry Campbell was born in the Parish of Donamore, Dungannon, Co. Armagh, and enlisted into the 52nd Foot at Dublin on 10 May 1805, aged 27, a weaver by trade. He served with the 52nd Foot at Corunna, throughout the Peninsula war in Portugal, Spain and France and at the Battle of Waterloo. He was discharged at Dublin on 24 August 1821, on reduction of the establishment of the Regiment, then aged 43. After a period at ‘half time on out Pension’, he enlisted into the Second Royal Veteran Battalion at Newry on 25 December 1821, until discharged at Enniskellen, in consequence of the reduction of the Battalion, on 24 April 1826. At the time of enlisting into the 2nd R.V.B. he gave his place of birth as Tynan, Armagh, but dates of service all tie up as the same man. Having served a total of 22 years 286 days, he was subsequently resident at Londonderry and died on 18 January 1856.

Sold with full research including discharge papers for the 52nd and 2nd R.V.B., with full and detailed Muster research.