Lot Archive

Lot

№ 659

.

21 September 2007

Hammer Price:
£580

Pair: Private T. Clark, Grenadier Guards, severely wounded at Inkermann, 5 November 1854

Crimea 1854-56, 4 clasps, Alma, Balaklava, Inkermann, Sebastopol (Pte. T. Clarke (sic), Grenr. ...), contemporary engraved naming; Turkish Crimea 1855, Sardinian issue, unnamed, plugged an fitted with ‘British Crimea’ style suspension, mounted for wear, first with severe edge bruising and contact marks, fine and better (2) £450-550

Thomas Clark was born in Hungerford, Berkshire. A Labourer by occupation, he attested for the Grenadier Guards at Newbury on 16 April 1842, aged 21 years, 6 months. The muster rolls of 1848-54 show him often to be absent and several times to be in the cells. Sent with the regiment to the Crimea, the Muster Roll of October 1853-March 1854 states, ‘12 days on board ship. 26 days on shore. 37 days not entitled to beer money. Absent 29 days. Btn. cells 31 days’. Serving with the 3rd Battalion Grenadier Guards in the Crimea, he saw service at Alma, Balaklava and at Sebastopol. In the battle of Inkermann he was severely wounded. The medical report states, ‘Amputation of left leg through the calf in consequence of gunshot wound at Inkermann. Also a Bayonet wound through his left hand’. As a consequence of his wound he was discharged in July 1855 as unfit for further service. In 1869 he applied for an increase in his allowance but was refused, only to be granted an increase in the following year. He was also given monetry relief from the Patriotic Fund. Sold with copied service papers, roll extracts and other research.