Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The Peninsula War medal awarded to Drummer Dugald Cameron, 79th Foot, a founder member of the Regiment who was wounded at the battle of Alexandria in 1801 and again at Busaco in 1810; he later emigrated to Australia, where he died at Hinton, near Morpeth, N.S.W. in July 1857

Military General Service 1793-1814, 3 clasps, Corunna, Busaco, Fuentes D’Onor (D. Cameron, 79th Foot.) nearly very fine £1,500-£2,000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of Medals formed by the late Ron Wright.

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Dugald Cameron was born in the Parish of Ardnamarchan, near Oban, Argyllshire, and enlisted into the 79th Foot at Glasgow on 17 August 1793, the year of the regiment’s forming, aged 18. He was discharged at Edinburgh Castle on 6 January 1818, in consequence of ‘being worn out along with asthma and cicatrices of wounds on Head and Thigh.’ His conduct is stated to have been ‘Very Good’ and that he ‘Served with the Regiment in Holland in 1794 & 95, in the West Indies from 25 Augt. 1795 to 24 Augt. 1797; in Holland in 1799; at Ferroll in 1800; in Egypt in 1801 was in the Actions of the 8th, 13th & wounded 21st March [battle of Alexandria] & at Rathmanie. At Copenhagen in 1807, at Gottenburgh in 1808, Portugal & Spain in 1808 & 1809, Capture of Flushing in 1809; Portugal, Spain & France in 1810, 11, 12, 13, & 14, was present at the Battle of Busaco 27 Sept. 1810 where he was wounded, at Fuentes De Honor 3rd, 4 & 5 May, 1811, Salamanca 22 July 1812, and the Siege of Burgos in 1812, at the Battle of Victoria (sic), Pampaluna & Crossing the Nive in 1813 & at Toulouse 10 Apl. 1814.’

Dugald Cameron is shown as a ‘Trumpeter or Drummer’ throughout his period of service of 24 years 142 days, and was discharged in the rank of Drummer, aged 42. He was not present with the regiment at the battle of Waterloo. Cameron was admitted to an out-pension at the Royal Hospital, Chelsea, on the day following his discharge, the Admission Book noting ‘Worn out, Asthma and Cicatrices of Wounds on Head and Thigh.’

He was disallowed clasps for Salamanca and Toulouse, the original medal roll noting ‘Prisoner of War’ for both actions, his medal with 3-clasps being sent to him “Care of Mr J. McDonald, Morpeth, New South Wales”, he having emigrated to Australia circa 1840 with his family. He died at Hinton, near Morpeth, New South Wales, on 19 July 1857, aged 82, after falling from his horse when its saddle-girth broke. He was interred in the Burial Ground at Hinton, now known as the Hinton Pioneer Cemetery.