Auction Catalogue

28 June 2000

Starting at 10:00 AM

.

Orders, Decorations and Medals

The Regus Conference Centre  12 St James Square  London  SW1Y 4RB

Lot

№ 359

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28 June 2000

Hammer Price:
£7,500

A rare Field Officer’s Gold Medal for Barrosa 1811 awarded to Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Duncan, Royal Artillery, killed in a magazine explosion at Seville in 1812

Field Officer’s Small Gold Medal,
the reverse embossed ‘Barrosa MDCCCXI’ (Major Alexr. Duncan, Royl. Arty., Commd. a Detacht. of the Army) complete with gold ribbon buckle, extremely fine £6000-7000

See Colour Illustration on front cover.

Only 15 small gold medals were awarded for the battle of Barrosa. For some unknown reason medals for Barrosa had the name of the battle die-struck rather than engraved.

Major Alexander Duncan was specially mentioned in Lieut.-General Thomas Graham’s Barrosa despatch of 6 March, 1811: ‘Major Duncan soon opened a powerful battery of ten guns in the centre... I owe too much to Major Duncan, and the Officers and corps of the Royal Artillery, not to mention them in terms of the highest approbation; never was artillery better served... I cannot conclude this despatch without earnestly recommending to His Majesty’s gracious notice for promotion... Major Duncan, Royal Artillery’ (
London Gazette 25 March 1811).

Duncan duly received his promotion to Lieutenant-Colonel in the Army, dated 6 March 1811, but his career came to an abrupt end when he was killed by the explosion of a magazine at Seville on 29 September 1812.