The Military General Service Medal awarded to Private George Riley, 6th Foot, who was severely wounded in the head at the battle of Orthes in February 1814 and was discharged from the regiment at Chippawa, Upper Canada, in February 1815

Military General Service 1793-1814, 6 clasps, Roleia, Vimiera, Corunna, Vittoria, Pyrenees, Orthes (George Riley, 6th Foot) together with damaged lid (named) of card box of issue, good very fine £2,000-£2,400

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals Relating to the War of 1812.

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Sotheby, September 1989; Collection of John Darwent, Dix Noonan Webb, April 2004.

George Riley was born at Rossendale, near Rochdale, circa 1783, and enlisted into the 6th Foot on 31 October 1806, aged 23 years, a weaver by trade. He was discharged at Chippawa, Upper Canada, on 24 February 1815, in consequence of ‘the expiration of his period of service and a severe wound of the right temple’. A testimonial from the commanding officer of the 6th Foot, given in July 1818 in support of Riley’s application for a pension, states that ‘his conduct was uniformly good and soldierlike. I also certify that he was severely wounded in the forehead in action with the French at the Battle of Orthes on the 27th Feby. 1814. He was discharged from the regiment in Upper Canada on the 24th Feby. 1815 at which period his wound was not quite healed.’ Riley received his final discharge in London on 28 July 1818, and was granted a pension from 5 August 1818, this increased from 6d to 9d per diem on 22 June 1852.

Sold with copies of this testimonial and discharge papers.