Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Sergeant John Smith, Royal Waggon Train, later Quartermaster Sergeant at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst

Waterloo 1815 (Serjeant John Smith Royal Waggon Train.) fitted with original steel clip and ring suspension; Army Meritorious Service Medal, V.R. (John Smith. Late Qr. Mr. Sergt. Royal Mily. College) officially impressed naming, light contact marks, otherwise very fine and better (2) £2,000-£2,400

John Smith was born in the Parish of Arnold, Nottinghamshire, and attested for the Royal Regiment of Waggon Train at Northampton on 8 November 1811, aged 17, a frame work knitter by trade. He was promoted to Corporal on 12 March 1813, and to Sergeant on 25 December 1813, continuing in that rank for five years until reduced to Corporal ‘in consequence of reduction [of the establishment]’ on 25 December 1818. He served ‘Nine months in the Peninsula; Five months in Holland; Three years & a half in France.’ He was discharged on 23 February 1830, his discharge papers noting that ‘This is not a case of disability, Corporal John Smith is discharged by order of the General Commanding in Chief, conveyed in a Letter from the Adjutant General to the Officer Commanding the Royal Waggon Train, dated 13 February 1830, and produced before the Board’. It is further noted that ‘his conduct has been that of a very good and efficient soldier, seldom in the Hospital, trustworthy and very sober.’ His service at this time amounted to 19 years 109 days, including 2 years’ allowance for Waterloo.

Smith was appointed as Sergeant to the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, on 17 April 1830, and was promoted to Quartermaster Sergeant on 27 May 1846. He was finally discharged in consequence of old age on 18 August 1858, being then aged 63 years 8 months, his total service amounting to 47 years 282 days, including Waterloo allowance but having deducted one year’s under-age service.

The award of the Meritorious Service Medal is confirmed by McInnes as being given in 1869 with an annuity of £20. It is one of only two M.S.Ms. awarded to the Royal Military College, the other being in 1942. Quartermaster Sergeant John Smith died in 1870.

Sold with full set of copied discharge papers for R.W.T. and R.M.C.