Show Posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.


Messages - Le_Ricain

Pages: [1]
1
Armed Forces / Re: 32nd Regiment of Foot 1815
« on: Monday 16 March 15 12:01 GMT (UK)  »
Hi Ken,

Too bad. I was thinking that if he took his pension in Canada, the Canadian government would have needed to have his discharge papers on file.

Rick

2
Armed Forces / Re: 32nd Regiment of Foot 1815
« on: Monday 16 March 15 06:45 GMT (UK)  »
Ken,

Thanks for the help. I was able to get a copy of his discharge papers from Kew. I assume that this would be the same as listed in Ancestry and Findmypast. I must check those out. Interesting that Ancestry has him in the 'Canada' records.

I always assumed that Samuel was illiterate because he was never promoted in rank. His discharge papers give no indication of disciplinary problems. The prime requirement for promotion was literacy and numeracy. After 20 years, with no discipline problems, he retired as a private soldier.

Rick

3
Armed Forces / Re: 32nd Regiment of Foot 1815
« on: Monday 16 March 15 00:21 GMT (UK)  »
I came upon this thread and just had to enrol.

My ancestor was Samuel Wilson, who was born in Rotherham, Yorkshire around 1777. After serving with the Nottinghamshire Fencibles, he enlisted in the 32nd Regiment in 1799. His daughter Ann was born in Ireland while the regiment was based there in either 1802 or 1807. Samuel was with the regiment during the Peninsular Campaign and he was wounded in the foot at Waterloo. He was with the regiment in the Ionian Islands (Corfu) when he was pensioned off in 1819. Samuel must have been illiterate as he retired a private after 20 years and 5 months service, including the Waterloo bonus years. He returned to Ireland, but probably had trouble finding work in the post war economic recession as he emigrated with his family to Nova Scotia in 1820. He selected NS as he had heard that they were awarding retiring militia soldiers 500 acres of land and Samuel reckoned regular army service more than qualified. Arriving in NS, he was informed that he did not qualify. He submitted a request and probably due to his celebrity as a Waterloo veteran, he was given a 500 acre grant after a couple of years. In the 1830's the British Government, as part of a cost cutting exercise, offered military pensioners an opportunity to exchange their pensions for a 500 acre land grant. Samuel, no doubt thinking about taking care of his family, accepted the offer. He died some time in the 1860's. 

I do not know if he is on the Waterloo Medal list. Where can I find it?

Pages: [1]