Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Army of India 1799-1826, 2 clasps, Laswarree, Capture of Deig (Serjt. J. Smyth. 29th Lt. Dragns.) short hyphen reverse, officially impressed naming, nearly extremely fine £4,000-£5,000

Provenance: Day Collection 1910; Palmer Collection 1919; Hamilton-Smith Collection 1927; Waite-Sanderson Collection 1941; Glendining’s, September 1950 and December 1969.

Approximately 100 clasps issued to European recipients for the battle of Laswarree, and approximately 103 clasps issued for the capture of the fort at Deig. A total of 21 medals issued with these two clasps: 18 to the 8th Light Dragoons, 2 to the 29th Light Dragoons, and 1 to an H.E.I.C. recipient.

John Smyth (or Smith) was born at Ennis, County Clare. He first enlisted into the 13th Light Dragoons on 1 September 1791, and served as a Private in that regiment for 9 years 204 days before being transferred to the 29th Light Dragoons on 24 March 1801. 335 days after joining the 29th (re-designated the 25th Light Dragoons in 1802) he was promoted to Corporal, 33 days later to Sergeant, and after a further 9 years 28 days, to Troop Sergeant-Major, which latter rank he held for the remainder of his Army career.

He was discharged at Arcot cantonment, on 12 November 1816, in consequence of general decline in health through his long service, eventually being returned to England and passing through the Royal Hospital at Chelsea. The final date of his discharge was 6 September 1817, aged 44, and awarded a pension of 2/4d per day. According to various Chelsea pension registers, he afterwards lived at several places, including Birmingham, Jersey, C.I., and West London. He eventually died in the London area on 4 February 1855.