Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Colour-Sergeant Alexander Montgomery, Royal Engineers, a veteran of the Carlist War of 1835-37

Crimea 1854-56, 1 clasp, Sebastopol, unnamed as issued; Army L.S. & G.C., V.R., small letter reverse (1761. Cr.-Sjt. A. Montgomery. Rl. Enginrs.) officially impressed naming; Turkish Crimea 1855, Sardinian issue, fitted with scroll suspension, unnamed as issued; Spain, Order of Maria Isabella Luisa 1837, silver cross, nearly very fine or better (4) £500-600

Alexander Montgomery was a volunteer mercenary who served with the British Auxiliary Legion in Spain against the Carlists during the war of 1835-37 prior to joining the Royal Engineers [then the Royal Sappers and Miners] at Woolwich on 18 April 1838. He was born in the Parish of St James’s, Kilkenny, and was aged 22 years 2 months when he attested, a painter and glazier by trade. He was promoted to 2nd Corporal in April 1846; Corporal, April 1847; Sergeant, December 1849; Colour-Sergeant, November 1856. He served abroad at Halifax, Nova Scotia, and at Bermuda, 8 years 5 months; in the Crimea, 1 year 4 months; and at Malta, 5 years 2 months, being discharged at Devonport on 26 December 1862, three days after he received the L.S. & G.C. medal and gratuity of £15. His intended place of residence was stated to be Headquarters 2nd West York Engineer Volunteers, Leeds, Yorkshire.

Montgomery is mentioned in Connolly’s History of the Royal Sappers and Miners for his services at Sebastopol, 20 April to 15 May, 1855:

‘The sapper carpenters repaired the various platforms in the 21-gun battery and the roof of the right magazine of No. 9 battery, which, struck by a shell, was much shaken. Alexander Montgomery, the sergeant in executive charge of the sappers on the right - who had served in many a fight as a military adventurer in maintaining the royal cause both of Portugal and Spain against insurgents ranked on the side of powerful pretenders - was commended by Major-General Jones for his zealous conduct and intelligent assistance to his officers.’

Sold with copied discharge papers and other research.