British and World Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The Peninsula War medal to Lieutenant William Flack, 88th Foot, the ‘Devil’s Own’ Connaught Rangers, who was dangerously wounded at Ciudad Rodrigo where the 88th led the assault on the main breach

Military General Service 1793-1814, 4 clasps, Talavera, Busaco, Fuentes D’Onor, Ciudad Rodrigo (William Flack, Lieut. 88th Foot) minor edge bruises and nicks, otherwise good very fine £4000-5000

Sold by Spink in 1906; and at Glendining’s in December 1914 and March 1927. Ex Jourdain Collection.

William Flack was commissioned as Ensign in the 88th Foot in 1805, becoming Lieutenant in May 1806, and Captain in April 1812. He served in the Peninsula with the 1/88th from March 1809 to April 1812, including the battles of Talavera and Busaco, actions at Redhina, Casal Nova, Foz d’Aronce, Sabugal, the battle of Fuentes d’Onor, 2nd siege of Badajoz, action at El Boden, and the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo.

Flack was dangerously wounded at Ciudad Rodrigo and granted a Pension of £100 per annum from 17 January 1813.

The 88th saw its first action in the Peninsula at the battle of Talavera on 27th/28th July 1809, where the battalion lost 136 men in heavy fighting. In February 1810 the 3rd Division, in which the regiment was brigaded, came under the command of Thomas Picton, under whose leadership the 88th was to establish a reputation as one of the most fearsome battalions in Wellington’s army. On 27 September 1810, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Wallace, the battalion distinguished itself with a fierce bayonet charge, prompting Wellington to comment, “Wallace, I never saw a more gallant charge than that just made by your regiment.” Its next major action came at Fuentes d’Onor on 3rd-5th May 1811, when the 88th again did great execution with the bayonet and at one point trapped about a hundred Frenchmen in an alleyway, none of whom survived the battalion’s attack. The 88th was at the forefront of the storming of Ciudad Rodrigo, when the forlorn hope provided by the regiment led the assault of the 3rd Division against the main breach.

Nine officers and two assistant surgeons of the 88th survived to claim the clasp for Ciudad Rodrigo, four of the officers having been wounded in that action.