The Collection of Medals formed by the late John Darwent

Military General Service 1793-1814, 1 clasp, Badajoz (Francis Busling, 45th Foot) edge bruise, otherwise better than very fine £1000-1200

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of Medals formed by the late John Darwent.

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Ex Hume collection 1923, and Phillips collection 1965. The only single clasp medal for Badajoz to the 45th Foot.

Francis Busling was born at Stretton, near Stamford, Lincolnshire, circa 1791, and enlisted into the 45th Foot at Grantham on 4 June 1809, aged 18 years. He was severely wounded at Badajoz on 19 March 1812, and had his right arm amputated. He returned to England on 24 June 1813 and was discharged to out-pension on 27 August 1813. He later lived at Northampton before moving to Leicester, where he died on 16 February 1863, aged about 70 years.

On the afternoon of 19 March 1812, a force of 1100 French infantry and cavalry made a sortie out of Badajoz under cover of fog and rushed the right of the British parallel. Another party attacked it on the left. The British soldiers, working up to their hips in water, were caught unarmed and defenceless, but they rallied and at length charged the enemy back into the town. The French cavalry, however, galloped round and had time to cut down a few men before beating a retreat. Allied casualties amounted to some 150, whilst the French are reckoned to have lost rather more. The British also lost over 500 tools and afterwards kept a squadron of cavalry and a battery of field guns in constant readiness in case the French should repeat the exercise.