Duke of Cumberland’s Sharpshooters (Middlesex) 1803, a struck bronze medal, 41mm. diameter, Obv. bust of Colonel Barber Beaumont left; Rev. inscribed, ‘The Duke of Cumberland’s Sharp Shooters The First Volunteer Rifle Corps in Great Britain was raised in 1803’, with steel clip and split ring suspension, extremely fine £80-100

The Duke of Cumberland’s Sharpshooter’s were raised in 1803, by Colonel Barber Beaumont, at a time when Napoleon threatened to invade England. His troops were reported to be such accurate shots, that on one occasion he held a target in Hyde Park while the Corps members fired at it from a distance of 150 years. The unit survived the volunteer disbandment of 1814 as a rifle club. In 1835 it was granted the title of ‘The Royal Victoria Rifle Club’ and in 1853 it was reconstituted as the Victoria Volunteer Rifle Corps and subsequently the 1st Middlesex (Victoria) Rifle Volunteer Corps.