32nd Regiment of Foot 1815

[serjeant]

That certainly was the case as I understand it for the general service medal which was awarded to those that fought in the Peninsula, but the Waterloo medal was awarded quite soon after the battle

[serjeant]

Hi all

Not a very firm set of answers back I am afraid, some are even saying it is a "poor research" problem which is not very helpful Hurrumph !

Basically most of the replies are along the lines of
 
I have a very nice MGS with 4 clasps to Lt Benjamin Martin, 4th Foot,he fought in North America where he was severely wounded.In one Waterloo roll it is noted that he was at Ostend just prior to the battle of Waterloo.I feel that he may have still been recovering from his wounds and was possibly in charge of some sort of rear party.However he DID get his portion of prize money for the battle (about 35 pounds) and therefor must have proceeded to Paris with the Regiment.I doubt that he received the medal.
Perhaps some of the private soldiers were credited with two years service even if they did not qualify for the medal, because they also finished up in Paris.I do not know if officers also received two years credited service as they had got the prize money

There are several Waterloo medal awards to Officers who may have been at the battle, but were possibly not.
As you suggested he could well have been carrying out other duties, far from the battle, but when the nominations were put forward, it was probably found to be more acceptable to include that Officer rather than discount him.
I am not sure if the criteria actually mentioned "only Officers present at Quatre Bras +/or Waterloo to receive the medal" and there is certainly at least one who was in hospital at the time, yet did receive the medal

[irish swallow]

Thanks for that - I didn't think we would get a definitive answer - but as far as research goes - I can't accept your contacts remark re poor research - I got Nat's pension papers and looked under every possible spelling of his name on the medal roll -  even just looking for any Nathaniel or any Nat or Nath - and asking questions on various forums so I can't see how my research could have been any better and am sure you would agree. I suppose it is possible as you say that he may have ended up in Paris so for pension purposes they assumed he had been at Waterloo (but that sounds a bit feeble) if they assumed he was at battle for pension would they not have assumed same for the medal. But anyway I am more than happy with info from his papers and I will  award him my own medal as I am sure he saw some terrible sights. 

As an added bit of info another of my 2 x granduncles was at Waterloo as one of 2 drummers with Lt Col West's company  2nd Foot Guards now the Grenadiers - he was James Elliker and I finally found him on the roll as James EAKER.  - shows I do persevere. 

Yvonne

[serjeant]

No Yvonne I agree, it is very unlikely and quite annoying to be dismissed as a  "poor research" error
I think it more likely that  the records do not fill in the gaps with some soldiers detached or elsewhere but still qualify as Waterloo veterans
I do heartily agree with your awarding him a medal for being a forgotton soldier of a forgotton regiment, I will raise a glass (or two) to him and the other veterans when we re-fight the battle on the field of Waterloo next June

If you are OK with it I will pass on your info about James Elliker to the Drum Major of the present 2nd Queens Royal Regiment he will be thrilled 

Please keep the thread going   
Thanks Serjeant

[Malcommon]

Hi All,  My ggg Grandfather John Common was in the 33rd regiment of foot and fought at Waterloo.
However according to a relative of mine ( another of Johns g g g grandsons) who has been to Kew and checked through the regimental muster rolls his name was incorrectly written as John Cumming throughout  his time in the regiment.
I know Jean has said she has tried allsorts of spelling  variations but John Commons case shows that mistakes did happen.
regards Malcolm.

[irish swallow]

Serjeant

Re James Elliker - if you want extra info on him I can tell you when and where he joined - when he was discharged, and where he is buried. He was thirteen years and one month old when he joined up - 19 when at Waterloo - served 27 yrs even before extra for Waterloo - I was amazed when I researched the battle as all I knew was from school history - but when you know rellies fought there you want to know more - I wonder how many know just how young the youngest soldier was (I believe he was 9) and that babies were born on or near battlefield.

I would love it if you raised a glass to all the forgotten at Waterloo - so many were just cannon fodder.
Would love to be at your re-enactment - maybe some year I wll.

Yvonne

[serjeant]

The 33rd First Yorkshire West Riding is now represented by an outstanding group that do great displays
For info
The details I have seen show the first day of the battle of the Somme detailing 60,000 casualties the 9 hour battle of Waterloo 51,000 but the main difference is that Waterloo shaped Europe and was the reason for a "relatively" peaceful 100 years whereas the Somme, apart from taking the pressure off the French part of the western front, achieved very little

I will pass on the interesting details of John Common/Cumming which does demonstrate the fact that the majority of soldiers were illiterate but I am sure that Yvonne has checked all spellings
We have commemorated the battle over the grave of Philip Cleer/Clear/Clare each year at Veryon churchyard
If you do want to join in anytime Yvonne, or anyone else, please do contact me

[serjeant]

I am getting some answers now
Such as
32nd Ft

Capt David Davie's Co:
Pte Smith McDole

Capt Charles Hawe's Co.
Pte James Dumheath

Capt Charles Wallett's Co.
Pte Danl Dumheath. (as Alec states above)

McDole appears rightly so, having been wounded at Quatre Bras.

The surname is so close it certainly appears clerical error. If Daniel Dumheath is Nathaniel Dunsheath,his brother/relative James is also on the NA Archive. A calculated guess here is that Daniel and James are brothers, or at least related.

But now check this WO 97 out for Nathaniel Dunsheath:
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/cata ... ssmethod=0

then, the brother/relative James:
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/cata ... ssmethod=0

Now, using the above records, which goes someway to show that Nathaniel & James are both from Antrim, and probably related. This appears to prove what Alec states is that Nathaniel is in fact Daniel on the printed Waterloo roll..


To increase the family tree, maybe Hugh is related too: Who qualified for an MGS clasp Java and appears on the MGS Roll with the 69th.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/cata ... image1.y=0

[irish swallow]

Thanks very much for that - I had medal roll for Smith and I have the Chelsea Pensioner files for Smith and for every Dunsheath there is on NA - that's how I knew both Nat and James were at Waterloo - I looked for all spellings I could think of - ie anyone whose name started DUN - and sifted through a lot of DUNCAN!!! I tried putting in no surname and just put in Nathaniel – then Nath – then Nat – I didn’t think they would get his first name blitzed completely as well. But DUMHEATH – that’s a new one for the books. I am sure Dan/l is Nath as there are no Daniel’s at all in the Dunsheath family tree. Nath and James are either brothers or cousins – I can’t tell as he had a brother and a cousin James born around same time. Hugh is a farther out rellie as he was born in Co Londonderry – NA papers give Lessing but it was Lislane.  (accent making it sound like Lessing) I am very glad to see Nath and James got their well deserved medal. Thanks +++++ for taking the time to track them down. So now I can say I had 4 relations at Waterloo (counting James Elliker in the Grenadiers) I wonder if many people can beat that – I am sure there are loads with whole families fighting.

Yvonne