Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Military General Service 1793-1814, 3 clasps, Talavera, Vittoria, Toulouse (Jas. Mansfield, 40th Foot.) carriage a little buckled between first two clasps, original ribbon, dark toned, light contact marks, otherwise better than very fine £1,200-£1,400

James Mansfield was born in the Parish of Sherbourne, Dorset, and enlisted there into the 40th Foot on 27 August 1807, aged 20, for unlimited service. The only man of this name in the regimental musters, he is shown as ‘sick’ from May 1812 to April 1813, returned to duty briefly but is again ‘sick’ from June 1813 (presumably after Vittoria) until March 1814, when he rejoined in time for the action at Toulouse. He afterwards served with the regiment in America and at the battle of Waterloo, where he served in Captain G. Morrow’s Company. He was discharged on 26 November 1817, in consequence of ‘general disability from severe attacks of acute rheumatism and inflammation of the lungs.’ His general conduct as a soldier is described as ‘good and that he has served in the Peninsula, America and the Continent, and was wounded in the Right Thigh at the Assault of Badajoz on the 6th of April 1812.’

The wound at Badajoz explains his absence on the sick list but it is curious that he omitted to claim for this clasp to his M.G.S. in 1847. He was admitted to an Out-pension at Chelsea Hospital on 26 November 1817, and died on 8 July 1851. Sold with copied discharge papers.