Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Crimea 1854-56 (2), 3 clasps, Alma, Inkerman [sic], Sebastopol (J. Shelley 3rd. Bn. Royal Artillery.) contemporarily engraved naming; another, 3 clasps, Inkermann, Sebastopol, Alma (3406 Pte. M. Alders. 28 Regt.) re-engraved naming, with attractive top silver riband bar, clasps all tailor’s copies on first, with one clasp sprung on left hand side and unofficial soldered rivets; the last clasp a tailor’s copy on second, affixed with unofficial retaining rod, the first worn, therefore good fine, the second very fine (2) £100-140

James Shelley served during the Crimean War with No. 8 Company, 3rd Battalion, Royal Artillery, having transferred from Captain Middleton’s Company, 13th Battalion on 1 December 1854.

Matthew Alders was born in Birmingham, Warwickshire in 1835, and attested for the 28th (North Gloucestershire) Regiment of Foot at Birmingham in March 1853. In July of that year he was ‘absent without leave’, and was sentenced to 50 lashes. He served with the Regiment in the Crimean War, and was wounded in the left shoulder at the storming of Sebastopol 18 June 1855 (entitled to three clasps as on medal). He subsequently served with the Regiment in India, in the aftermath of the Mutiny, before being discharged in May 1863, after 10 years and 13 days’ service.

Sold with 10 copy clasps for the Crimea Medal, and a top riband bar for the French Medaille Militaire.