A Collection of Medals to the West Yorkshire (14th Foot) and Yorkshire (19th Foot) Regiments

Three: Major-General R. D. Barrett, 19th Foot and 100th Foot, wounded in the trenches before Sebastopol, 31 October 1854, and presented with his Crimea Medal by Queen Victoria, 18 May 1855

Crimea 1854-56, 4 clasps, Alma, Balaklava, Inkermann, Sebastopol (Capt. R. D. Barrett, 19th Regt. P.W.O.) privately impressed naming, with later replacement rivets, top lugs removed; Ottoman Empire, Order of the Medjidie, 5th Class breast badge, silver, gold and enamel; Turkish Crimea 1855, British issue, unnamed, pierced for ring suspension as issued, all with ‘T. B. Bailey, Coventry’ top-riband bars, contact marks, generally nearly very fine or better (3) £360-400

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to the West Yorkshire (14th Foot) and Yorkshire (19th Foot) Regiments.

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Richard Doyle Barrett was born in Youghal, Cork, Ireland, in February 1830. He was the son of Major R. Barrett, late 19th Foot. R. D. Barrett was commissioned Ensign, aged 16, in the West India Regiment in April 1846. He was promoted Lieutenant in April 1848, and exchanged to the 19th Foot in May 1852.

Barrett served with the 19th Foot during the Crimean campaign, and was present in the actions of Bulganac, Alma, Inkermann and the siege of Sebastopol (wounded by shell splinters, 31 October 1854). He was promoted Captain in December 1854, and was presented with his Crimea Medal by Queen Victoria, 18 May 1855.

Barrett advanced to Lieutenant Colonel, and the command of the 2nd Battalion, in January 1878. He exchanged to the 100th Foot (subsequently the Leinster Regiment), in September 1880, and the Regimental History recorded his time with them thus, ‘The Commanding Officer was a fine soldier, very strict, rather hard but very just, always well turned out, yet he would sometimes carry an umbrella to shade his head when walking to the orderly room.’

Three years later he was appointed Commanding Officer of the 19th Regimental District (Richmond, Yorkshire), and retired Honorary Major-General in December 1887. In later life Barrett turned his hand to inventing, and produced the ‘Barrett Valise Equipment’ and a new ‘Signaling Whistle’ for army use.

He died at Blackheath, London, in April 1905.

Two other Crimea medals are known to exist to this recipient including an officially impressed medal. Not entitled to ‘Balaklava’ clasp.

Sold with copied research, and several photographic images of recipient.