Pair: Private Henry Jolly, 79th Regiment Foot

Waterloo 1815 (Henry Jolly, 1st Batt. 79th Reg. Foot) replacement silver clip and hinged straight bar suspension, engraved, ‘Henry Jolly 1st Batt. 79th Reg. Foot’; 79th Foot Order of Merit, 1st type reverse with ‘English’ sword hilt, 30mm., silver, fitted with a similar silver suspension to the previous, engraved, ‘Henry Jolly, 79 Reg Peninsuler (sic)’, second ref. Balmer R.486a, edge bruising, contact marks, fine (2) £2000-2500

Henry Jolly was born in the Parish of St. Phillips, Birmingham. A Gun Smith by occupation, he attested for the 79th Foot at Birmingham on 10 August 1810, aged 16 years. With the 1st Battalion 79th Foot he served in the Waterloo Campaign, being a member of Captain William Marshall’s Light Company. At Waterloo, the 79th Foot formed part of the 8th British Brigade commanded by Major-General Sir James Kempt. In the battle, the 79th suffered an estimated 479 officers and men, killed, wounded and missing from a strength of 703 (ref. B.B. & M.).

Jolly was transferred to the 52nd Foot in August 1830 and was discharged at his own request in September 1831. With copied discharge papers which state that he ‘served in the Netherlands and France three years and six months and in British North America nine months’.