Auction Catalogue

2 April 2004

Starting at 10:00 AM

.

Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Grand Connaught Rooms  61 - 65 Great Queen St  London  WC2B 5DA

Lot

№ 427

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2 April 2004

Hammer Price:
£2,500

Military General Service 1793-1814, 2 clasps, Busaco, Albuhera (John Arbuckle, 57th Foot) edge bruising and polished, otherwise nearly very fine £1400-1600

Ex Cattley collection 1955.

John Arbuckle was born in the Parish of Anderston, near Glasgow, and enlisted into the 57th Foot on 5 February 1803. He served at Gibraltar in 1808-09, and in the Peninsula from 1809-12, being present at the battle of Busaco, and wounded at the sanguinary action of Albuhera where the regiment suffered very heavy casualties and gained their famous nickname of ‘The Diehards’. Arbukle was continuously in and out of hospital for the next two years and, in May 1813, was transferred to the 13th Veteran Battalion at Lisbon. This battalion was re-designated as the 7th Veteran Battalion in June 1815, and was disbanded at Chelsea on 24 May 1816, on which day Arbuckle was discharged in consequence of ‘Gunshot wound right thigh & asthmatic.’ Sold with copy discharge papers and muster details.