Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

48th Foot Regimental Medal 1819, 38mm, silver, the obverse with crown above ‘48’, ‘1819. Northamptonshire’ below, with ‘Thomas Slater’ inscribed on obverse scroll, the reverse inscribed with 10 actions: ‘Talavera, Albuera, Rodrigo, Badajos, Salamanca, Vittoria, Pyrenees, Nivelle, Orthes, Toulouse’, fitted with a hinged ring and straight silver bar suspender, very fine and rare, and one of Australia’s earliest recognised pieces of silver £3,000-£4,000

Referenced in Balmer R370.

This medal was established by the officers of the Regiment 1819, whilst it was serving in Australia, 1817-24. The maximum number of actions is twelve, though eleven is the maximum so far recorded on a medal.

The medals were engraved by Samuel Clayton, who was transported for forgery from Ireland to Australia for seven years in 1816. A painter, engraver and silversmith by trade, he established himself in Sydney as early as January of the following year, rapidly becoming one of the finest silversmiths in the Colony. Amongst other achievements he instigated the establishment of the first Masonic lodge in New South Wales, and designed and engraved the Colony’s first banknotes. He died at Gunning, N.S.W., in 1853.

Thomas Slater attested for the 48th Regiment of Foot in Manchester on 31 August 1804, and served with the 1st Battalion in the Peninsula from 14 July 1809, quickly coming into action at the Battle of Talavera on 28 July 1809. It is probable that he was wounded at this battle as the muster rolls for the period 25 June to 24 September 1809 show the entry ‘General Hospital’ for the second muster (24 August) against his name.

Slater served for the next five years in Portugal, Spain and France and was present with the battalion at the Battle of Albuhera; the sieges of Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajoz; the battles of Salamanca and Vitoria; the three day battle in the Pyrenees, in which the 48th were once again to the fore with a bayonet charge; and finally the three battles at which he was present in France, Nivelle, Orthes and Toulouse. Following the declaration of peace he proceed with the 48th to Ireland on garrison duties, and then embarked with the regiment for Australia on the male convict ship Guildford as one of the guards, arriving at New South Wales on 11 April 1818.

Slater served with the regiment in Australia until March 1824, when he and a number of others transferred to the 3rd Foot, probably due to the impending departure of the regiment to join the Army in India. No other trace of the recipient has been found; he presumably completed his 21 years’ service in Australia, and then either returned to England or settled in the colony.