Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Waterloo 1815 (M. Shea, 2nd Batt. 73rd Regt.) replacement steel clip and straight bar suspension, an old renamed medal, dark toned, contact marks and edge bruising, good fine £150-200

Maurice Shea was born at Prior, Tralee, Co. Kerry, and joined the Kerry Militia in 1812. He enlisted into the 73rd Foot on 10 June 1813 and served with No. 9 Company in the 2nd Battalion at Waterloo. He transferred to the 1st Battalion in May 1817 and joined at Trincomalee the following December. Promoted to Corporal in December 1821, he was discharged on 19 March 1822, aged 26 years, in consequence of general debility induced by frequent attacks of fever in Ceylon and a wound of the side received on service there.

In 1835 he joined the British Auxiliary Legion at Cork as Quartermaster, and was subsequently promoted to Lieutenant. He served in the Spanish Civil War of 1833-39, was present at twenty-six engagements, and received the Order of Isabella. He died at Sherbrooke, Canada, in March 1892, and is believed to be the very last survivor of the entire British Army at Waterloo. Although this medal is renamed it is of more than passing interest to record that it has been submitted for sale from a private source in Canada.