Orders, Decorations & Medals - Aust Singles

Lot 3559    Session 13 (2.30pm Thursday 22nd November)    Orders, Decorations & Medals - Aust Singles

Estimate $7,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $6,400

48TH FOOT REGIMENTAL MEDAL, 1819, awarded in Australia, in silver (41mm), inscribed on obverse scroll, 'R.Derbyshire', reverse inscribed with ten actions, 'Talavera, Albuera, Rodrigo, Badajos, Salamanca, Vittoria, Pyroneers (sic), Nivelle, Orthes, Toulouse', fitted with suspension loop but no bar or ribbon. Very fine and extremely rare.

Sergeant Richard Derbyshire, 48th Foot, confirmed entitlement to ten clasps for his Military General Service Medal 1793-1814. He was born at Wigan, Lancashire and served with the 48th Foot from 1803 to 1829 discharging at age 53.

This medal was awarded whilst the regiment was serving in Australia, 1817-24, and most, if not all, of the approximately 20 known recipients served in New South Wales. It is the first military medal to have been issued in Australia. There is strong evidence that the medals were engraved by Samuel Clayton, transported to Australia for seven years in 1816 and working as a painter, engraver and silversmith in Sydney as early as January of the following year.