1st Surrey Volunteer Loyal Rifle Corps 1806, engraved gold medal with finely chased border and suspension ring, 51 mm, crown above crossed muskets, with LOYAL as separate letters in the spaces around the weapons, all between ‘GR’ cypher, above ‘1st Surrey Volunteer’, and below ‘Rifle Corps’; Rev. ‘The Manoeuvre Prize won by the 1st Surrey Rifles at the sham fights on Wandsworth Common Oct. 1st 1806 from Colonel Hardy’, very fine and an extremely rare gold award

Ex Gaskell Collection 1911.

Colonel Joseph Hardy of Cobham Lodge, Surrey, was ‘Inspecting Field Officer’ for Kent and Surrey, responsible for reporting on and maintaining the proper state of discipline and efficiency in the volunteer forces. He appears to have been both a great patriot and an enormous enthusiast for his job, and encouraged the volunteers to greater efforts by awarding medals on his own behalf to deserving recipients. At least six medals awarded by him are known or recorded, this example being the only known gold award. Sold with detailed notes on the Surrey Volunteer units. Due to the uncertainty that exists with regard to the provenance and manufacture of these early Volunteer awards, this lot is sold as viewed, not subject to return.