An interesting Waterloo and 1838 dated Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal pair to Serjeant, later Serjeant Major Richard Wells, 2nd Battalion, 59th (2nd Nottinghamshire) Regiment of Foot who was present during the Walcheren expedition, before serving during the Peninsula War where he would participate in Battles at Vittoria, St. Sebastian, Bidafsoa, Nivelle, Nive and Bayonne. He would be serving as part of the 2nd Battalion, 59th (2nd Nottinghamshire) Regiment of Foot at the Battle of Waterloo on 18th June 1815 also being present at Cambray on 24th June 1815 and the surrender of Paris on 6th July 1815. Later transferring to the 1st Battalion, 59th Foot in January 1815 he would escape the wrecking of the transport ship Seahorse which led to the loss of 12 officers and 264 men of the 2nd Battalion, 59th Foot. He would be awarded his Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal shortly after his discharge from the Invalid Depot at Fort Pitt, Chatham on 9th May 1838. He would die on 1st December 1840, a Chelsea Hospital outpatient at Ordnance Place, Chatham.
Pair: Waterloo Medal 1815 fitted with replacement silver clip and ring suspension; (SERJ. RICHARD WELLS. 2ND BATT. 59TH REG.FOOT.) Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, VR, large letter reverse; with original steel clip and replacement ring suspension. (R. WELLS. ACTING SERJT MAJOR INVALID DEPOT.. 1838).
Condition: the first with minor edge-bruising and contact marks, the second better than Very Fine
Richard Wells was born in the parish of St. Nicholas, Nottingham circa 1782 and would enlist for the 2/59th at Rye, Sussex on 4th April 1908, a volunteer from the Notts Militia, at which he time he was employed as a framework knitter by trade, aged 27. He enlisted directly in the rank of Sergeant and served at Walcheren as well as in the Peninsula where he would be present at the Battle of Vittoria on 21st June 1813, the storming of St. Sebastian on 31st August 1813, and also at the battles of Bidafsoa, Nivelle, Nive and Bayonne. Before being present at Waterloo on 18th June 1815, the Battle of Cambray on 24th June 1815 and the surrender of Paris on 6th July 1815.
Wells had been promoted to Colour Serjeant in March 1815 and transferred to the 1/59th Foot in January 1816. On the 30th January 1816 the transport ship Seahorse carrying the 2/59th to Cork was wrecked in Tramore Bay, Ireland with the loss of 12 officers and 264 men. In the same month Wells is shown as transferred to the 1st Battalion.
In June 1823 he was appointed Acting Sergeant-Major to the Provisional Battalion at Fort Cumberland until 26th August 1825, when he became Acting Sergeant-Major at Chatham. On 24th September 1826 he was transferred into the Newfoundland Veterans Companies and appointed Acting Sergeant-Major, 25th December, of the Invalid Depot at Fort Pitt, Chatham.
He would be discharged on 9th May 1838, aged 56 with a total pensionable service of 31 years. 17 years 174 days as a Sergeant and 11 years 204 days as Serjeant Major. Cause of discharge was in consequence of advanced age, rheumatism, want of activity of being subject to attacks of gout. He received the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal shortly afterwards and took up residence in Ordnance Place, Chatham, as an out pensioner of Chelsea Hospital. On 15th November 1840 he was certified as being unable to leave his bed due to rheumatism and was to be visited to receive his pension. Sergeant-Major Richard Wells died on 1st December 1840.
