Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Two original Crimea War letters from Veterinary Surgeon John Gloag, 11th Hussars:

The first dated ‘Crimea Augst. 4th 1855’, ink, six sides on two pieces of white folded paper, as sent to his young son, George Gloag, the author commenting on his son’s birthday and how ‘your dear Papa never forgets you’:

‘I wish my dear child I could have you here for a few days, what fun you would have ... I could tell you such curious stories of places I have seen ... you could hear the great cannons booming all night ... ’

and fatherly advice:

‘In all actions of your life follow truth - never tell a falsehood, whatever you may commit of however wrong you may have acted; let your mind retain its nobleness and fearlessly tell the truth ... ’

The second dated ‘Cavalry Camp, Balaklava, January 5 - 1855’, ink, four sides on two pieces of folded white paper, again as sent to his young son, George, in non cursive text to enable his son to read with ease, and with tales of the horrors of war - and a medal - among other observations:

‘Do you know that the Queen is going to send out to all the Officers and soldiers who were in the great battles, a beautiful medal always to be worn on the breast and I shall have one of those and perhaps another if we take the fortress of Sebastopol ... I have seen some dreadful battles George, and I have seen a great many shocking things ... Do you remember Serjeant Breeze? At the great battle of Inkermann, a cannon ball killed the horse and man next to him, and the ball then struck Sergeant Breeze on the arm and carried it away and he has suffered greatly. Besides the numbers we had killed, and those we have lost by sickness, a great number of men lost their legs or arms - your friend poor Drummer Basset is dead, and Sergeant Field and very many more whom perhaps you remember ... ’

the first with traces of repair, otherwise generally in good condition £180-220

John William Gloag was born in Clonmell Barracks, Tipperary in January 1812, the son of the Quarter-Master of the 19th Hussars. Entering the Army as a Veterinary Surgeon in 1832, he served in the 10th Hussars until April 1846, when he transferred to the 11th Hussars; his son George, was born at Coventry in November 1849.

Embarked for the Crimea in the rank of Staff Veterinary Surgeon, Gloag served with the 11th Hussars at Bulganak, the battles of Alma, Balaklava and Inkermann, at Tchernya and in the operations before Sebastopol (Medal & 4 clasps), and was awarded the 5th Class of the French Legion of Honour and 5th Class of the Turkish the Order of the Medjidie. Having then served as Principal Veterinary Surgeon to the Army in the East from April 1855 to June 1856, he transferred to the Land Transport Corps (Military Train) in February 1857.

Advanced to 1st Class Veterinary Surgeon in July 1859, Gloag was appointed Staff Veterinary Surgeon in Dublin and elected Vice-President of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. On being placed on the Retired List in July 1870, he was appointed Veterinary Surgeon to the Royal Irish Constabulary and he was similarly employed at the time of his death in Dublin in July 1886, aged 74 years.