Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Crimea War D.C.M. pair awarded to Private J. Martin, 97th Regiment

Distinguished Conduct Medal, V.R. (John Martin, 97th Regt.), officially impressed naming; Crimea 1854-56, 1 clasp, Sebastopol (John Martin, 97 Regt.), contemporary engraved naming, edge bruising and contact marks, otherwise generally very fine (2) £2500-3000

D.C.M. recommendation dated 14 January 1855.

The only likely recipient found with this surname would appear to be No. 2442 James Martin, who was born in Cork and enlisted in the 97th Regiment in September 1846, aged 16 years. As per his discharge papers, he subsequently served in Malta and North America for 6 years, Greece and the Crimea for 2 years, where he was wounded in the left leg at the attack on the Redan on 8 September 1855, and in the East Indies for 9 years. Unusually, however, the same documents make no mention of him winning a D.C.M., or indeed of being awarded the relevant campaign medals, but they do confirm that he was reduced from Sergeant to Private in March 1856. Having then regained his three stripes, Martin was discharged in April 1869, while on attachment to the Royal Denbigh Militia.