Auction Catalogue

30 March 2011

Starting at 10:00 AM

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Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Washington Mayfair Hotel  London  W1J 5HE

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Lot

№ 357

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30 March 2011

Hammer Price:
£2,600

Waterloo 1815 (Samuel Sweet, 1st Batt. 40th Reg. Foot) fitted with original steel clip and later ring suspension, contact wear, otherwise nearly very fine £1600-1800

Samuel Sweet served in Captain William Fisher’s Company at Waterloo. Fisher was killed on the afternoon of the 18th June by a canon ball which took off his head when standing by the colours. “There goes my best friend,” exclaimed a private of Captain Fisher’s company. “I will be as good a friend to you,” said the subaltern, who immediately took the deceased’s place in the square. This produced a grim laugh among the men, as they knew what the subaltern did not - that the private had spoken ironically, for he was an old offender, and had constantly been punished by Captain Fisher (Autobiography of Sergeant William Lawrence).

Samuel Sweet was born in Totnes, Devon, and enlisted on 25 July 1799. He served with the 40th in the expedition to Argentina in 1807, where they saw action at Monte Video and Buenos Ayres, and also in Spain, Portugal, France and Belgium. He was discharged on 17 December 1816, in consequence of being ‘aged and infirm’. Sold with copy discharge papers.