Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The extremely rare M.G.S. and ‘St Sebastian’ Forlorn Hope Medal pair awarded to Private Arthur Hammell, 52nd Foot, who was slightly wounded in the left leg at Corunna in January 1809, and ‘Volunteered to lead the attack at the Storming of St. Sebastian’

Military General Service 1793-1814, 9 clasps, Corunna, Busaco, Fuentes D’Onor, Ciudad Rodrigo, Salamanca, Vittoria, Pyrenees, St. Sebastian, Toulouse (A. Hammell, 52nd Foot.); 52nd Foot Forlorn Hope Medal, silver, on the obverse Light Infantry bugle and LII surrounded by a laurel wreath ‘31st Aug. 1813’ above, reverse, embossed ‘A Volunteer in the Leading Column of Attack at the Assault of Ciudad Rodrigo. The Officers 52nd Regiment to Arthur Hammell 52nd Regiment’, engraved details shown in italics, neatly plugged at 12 o’clock and fitted with hinged silver bar suspension, the first good very fine, the second nearly very fine and very rare (2) £8,000-£10,000

Provenance: Sotheby’s 1881 with Forlorn Hope medal; Lord Cheylesmore Collection, Glendining’s, July 1930; Spink N.C., June 1974.

The 52nd Foot ‘Forlorn Hope’ medal was instituted by a Regimental Order dated Lichfield 19 January 1820, and was awarded for Ciudad Rodrigo 1812, Badajoz 1812, and St Sebastian 1813. From an earlier date, those who survived the forlorn hope of Rodrigo and Badajoz were distinguished with a laurel badge on the right arm, with ‘VS’ (for Valiant Stormer) placed beneath the wreath. The medals are of the highest rarity with fewer than 10 known to have survived, three of these being in the Royal Green Jackets Museum.

Arthur Hammell was born in the Parish of Lago, near Portadown, County Armagh, and was enlisted into the 52nd Foot at Stirling on 14 May 1804, aged 18, for unlimited service, a weaver by trade. He served a total of 23 years 232 days and was discharged on 31 December 1827, in consequence of ‘being worn out and chronic rheumatism.’ His conduct as a soldier was described as having been ‘excellent and that he was slightly wounded left leg in action with the Enemy at Corunna, on the 16th January 1809 - Volunteered to lead the attack at the Storming of St Sebastian.’

Sold with copied discharge papers.