A fine 10-clasp Peninsula War medal awarded to Private William Needles, 48th Foot, who was severely wounded in the arm, leg and thigh at the battles of Salamanca, Pampeluna and Nivelle

Military General Service 1793-1814, 10 clasps, Albuhera, Ciudad Rodrigo, Badajoz, Salamanca, Vittoria, Pyrenees, St. Sebastian, Nivelle, Orthes, Toulouse (William Needles, 48th Foot.) minor edge bruise, otherwise toned, good very fine £3,000-£4,000

Henry Gaskell Collection 1907; Glendining’s, July 1940.

William Needles was born in the Parish of Wepenham, Northamptonshire, and was enlisted into the 48th Foot on 31 August 1807, aged 15 years. He was discharged to Kilmainham Hospital at Naas on 24 January 1817, in consequence of being ‘wounded in arm, leg & thigh at the battles of Salamanca, Pamplona & 10 Nov. 1813’. The last mentioned action on 10 November 1813, was at the crossing of the Nivelle river at Sare. A note appended to his discharge document from Major George D. Smith, Commanding 48th states ‘Private William Needles during his service of nearly seven years has been extremely well conducted and was severely wounded at the battles of Salamanca, Pampeluna and Sare. I beg to recommend this man to the favourable consideration of the Governors of the Royal Hospital Kilmainham. Naas Barracks, January 1817.’

Sold with copied discharge papers.