British and World Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Military General Service 1793-1814, 13 clasps, Corunna, Busaco, Fuentes D’Onor, Ciudad Rodrigo, Badajoz, Salamanca, Vittoria, Pyrenees, St. Sebastian, Nivelle, Nive, Orthes, Toulouse (Edward Byrne, 52nd Foot) suspension claw re-fixed, edge bruising, otherwise very fine and rare
£6000-7000

Ex Sotheby November 1894 and Henry Gaskell collection 1907.

Only 3 officers and 48 men of the 52nd received the clasp for St Sebastian, entitlement to which was supposedly restricted to those actual stormers of that place. Only 44 medals issued with 13 clasps, including 10 men of the 52nd.

At Busaco the 43rd and 52nd Foot of Craufurd’s Light Division greatly distinguished themselves. As Loison’s French division advanced up the hill to the ridge occupied by the British forces and reached its crest, the 43rd and 52nd rose from their positions in a sunken section of road. Craufurd is said to have called out ‘Now, 52nd! Revenge the death of Sir John Moore’. Moore had been colonel of the 52nd. The two regiments poured a volley into the French column at 25 yards and then attacked with the bayonet, driving the French back down the hillside. A watching artillery officer described the fight as ‘carnage’.

Present at virtually every battle and siege throughout the war in the Peninsular the 52nd had a distinguished career, particularly at the storming of Badajoz, when the elite Light Division suffered badly, the 52nd alone losing more than 70 killed and 300 wounded, some 40 percent of their fighting strength. They were again distinguished at the battle of Nivelle when the Light Division successfully stormed the redoubts and forts of the French defences on La Rhune, thus opening the way for the main British assault and the defeat of Soult’s army. Once more the 52nd suffered heavy casualties, with 34 killed and more than 200 wounded. Sold with copy of the medal roll which also shows claim for Talavera disallowed.