Military General Service Medal clasps Talavera, Busaco, Fuentes D'onor, Ciudad Rodrigo (JOHN HARRISON, 24TH FOOT.)
John Harrison was born in London in the County of Middlesex in 1789. A Paper Stainer by trade he attested for service with the 24th Regiment of Foot on 15 April 1809 at the age of 20 and saw action in some of the most hard-fought battles of the Napoleonic Wars. He earned the clasp Talavera for the battle that took place there in 1809. This was followed by the battle of Busaco in 1810 and that of Fuentes D'Onor which took place from the 3rd to the 5th May 1811. The final action in which he took part was the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo.
The siege of Ciudad Rodrigo was the successful investment of the French-occupied city of Ciudad Rodrigo by Lord Wellington's Anglo-Portuguese Army from 7–20 January 1812. Wellington's army, which numbered up to 40,000 men, faced a small French garrison of 1,800 troops under the command of Jean Léonard Barrié. After two breaches were blasted in the city's walls by heavy artillery units of the Royal Artillery, the successful storming of Ciudad Rodrigo was conducted by British troops on the evening of 19 January. After overcoming the French defenders, the attacking troops went on a rampage for several hours before order was restored. The Anglo-Portuguese Army suffered casualties of about 1,700 men, including two generals killed. Strategically, the fall of the city opened the northern gateway into French-occupied Spain from Portugal.
Harrison transferred to the 1st Garrison Battalion - a regiment raised in July 1803 at Chatham to relieve regular regiments of home defense, port security, and depot duties. These battalions were composed of older soldiers, pensioners, and men deemed unfit for active campaigning, freeing up frontline troops for overseas service - on 25 December 1813 and, after 1 year and 94 days service, failing health - he was suffering with impaired vision - called an early end to his time in uniform. He was discharged on 28 March 1815. At which time he was described as being 26 years old, 5 feet 6 inches in height and with brown hair, grey eyes and a dark complexion.
Harrison was admitted as an In-Pensioner of the Chelsea Hospital on 25 April 1815 and an Out-Pensioner on 25 December 1828.
He passed away at the age of 83 on 24 October 1871 at the age of 82.
Medal has a slight edge knock at 6 o'clock but is in remarkably good condition otherwise. Sold with a copy of his service papers confirming service in both the 24th Foot and the 1st Garrison Battalion under General Leighton.
