A fine Military General Service Medal 1793-1814, 8 Clasps: Vimiera, Talavera, Ciudad Rodrigo, Badajoz, Salamanca, Vittoria, Pyrenees, Nive awarded to Serjeant J. Castelow, 43rd (Monmouthshire) Regiment of Foot who saw service during the Peninsula War in Spain and Portugal and was present at the battle of Vimiera on 21st August 1808, at the battle of Talavera from 27th to 28th July 1809 Ciudad Rodrigo from 8th to 19th January 1812, the siege and capture of Badajoz from 16th March to 6th April 1812, the Battle of Salamanca on 22nd July 1812, the battle of Vittoria on 21st June 1813, and the forcing of the Pyrenees from 25th July to 2nd August 1813. He was then present in Southern France, being present at the battle of Nivelle on 10th November 1813.
Military General Service Medal 1793-1814, 8 Clasps: Vimiera, Talavera, Ciudad Rodrigo, Badajoz, Salamanca, Vittoria, Pyrenees, Nive; (J. CASTELOW., SERJT. 43RD FOOT.)
Condition: toned, Nearly Extremely Fine
Provenance: Ex Spink March 1978.
John Castelow saw service as a Serjeant with the 43rd (Monmouthshire) Regiment of Foot during the Peninsula War in Spain and Portugal and initially showing on the muster rolls as a member of the 1st Battalion, in early 1808 was present at the battle of Vimiera on 21st August 1808, at the battle of Talavera from 27th to 28th July 1809 Ciudad Rodrigo from 8th to 19th January 1812, the siege and capture of Badajoz from 16th March to 6th April 1812, the Battle of Salamanca on 22nd July 1812, the battle of Vittoria on 21st June 1813, and the forcing of the Pyrenees from 25th July to 2nd August 1813. He was then present in Southern France, being present at the battle of Nivelle on 10th November 1813.
Only one officer, one N.C.O. and 18 men of the 43rd received the clasp for Talavera, where they formed part of the 1st Battalion of Detachments, containing men from various regiments left behind in Portugal after the departure of the British army after the Battle of Corunna.
Castelow would be shown as sick in hospital for 36 days in the September 1809 quarter. Promoted to Corporal on 24th December 1813, and is shown as sick in hospital January to April 1814, before being promoted to Sergeant on 24th June 1814, he would be transferred to the 2nd Battalion on 26th October 1814 and was admitted to an out-pension at Chelsea on 10th February 1852, and died at Leeds in June 1853.
The 43rd (Monmouthshire) Regiment of Foot in the Peninsula War
In August 1808, during the Peninsular War, the 43rd fought in the Battle of Vimeiro which drove Napoleon's forces from Portugal. The campaign against the French then moved to Spain where in January 1809 the regiment took part in the retreat to Vigo and Corunna; achieving fame as part of the rearguard to the army before returning to England. In May 1809 the 1st battalion of the 43rd, as part of Sir Robert Craufurd's Light Brigade, sailed for Portugal to join Sir Arthur Wellesley's army. On landing at Lisbon the 43rd moved to Spain to support Wellesley's forces there. The battalion's march of 250 miles from Lisbon to Talavera included a march of fifty-two miles in twenty-six hours in the hottest season of the year. The battle of Talavera had been won before the battalion arrived. However, a company of the 43rd which had been at Lisbon from December 1808 fought in the battle as part of General Richard Stewart's brigade. In 1810 the 43rd formed part of the Light Division under the command of Sir Robert Craufurd. The 43rd fought in the battle of the crossing of the Côa in July 1810, the Battle of Bussaco in September 1810 and the Battle of Sabugal in April 1811. The 43rd also took part in the Battle of Fuentes de Oñoro in May 1811, the assault on the fortress of Ciudad Rodrigo in January 1812 and the Siege of Badajoz in April 1812; when storming the breach the 43rd lost 20 officers and 335 men.
The regiment went on to fight at the Battle of Salamanca in July 1812 and the Battle of Vitoria in June 1813 and then pursued the French Army into France where they saw action at the Battle of Nivelle in November 1813, the Battle of the Nive in December 1813 and the Battle of Toulouse in April 1814. Following the end of the Peninsular War in 1814 the Light Division was disbanded and the 43rd returned to England
