AN EXCEPTIONALLY RARE & DESIRABLE,
“THE DIE HARDS” OFFICER’S
MILITARY GENERAL SERVICE MEDAL.

57th (West Middlesex) Foot Regiment.

SUBn -Captain RICE PRICE,
2nd & 1st, 57th (West Middx) Foot Regt.

SERIOUSLY WOUNDED AT SORAUREN, PAMPLONA, HEIGHTS OF ORICAIN.
Served in America, Aug 1814- Aug 1815.
At the “Siege of Fort Erie” on the Canadian-American border.

[THE MEDAL]
Officially Impressed. RICE PRICE, SUBn 57th FOOT
NIVE
PYRENEES
VITTORIA


[BIOGRAPHY]
Leiutenant Rice Price is seen serving in the 57th Regt from 21st July 1808. He arrived in Spain to take part in the Penninsula War on 11th August 1811 as part of 2nd Batallion which was pressed into service to replace the shocking number of casualties which the unit had sustained at the Battle of Albuhera on 16th May 1811.

[SERIOUSLY WOUNDED] Battle of Sorauren, 28th July 1813.

Lt Rice Price fought at Vittoria on 21st June 1813, Pyrenees 25th July-2nd August 1813 where he was Seriously Wounded on 28th July 1813 during 1st Battle of Sorauren at The Heights of Oricain near Pamplona August 1813. He saw further action at Nive 9th-13th December 1813.

[NORTH AMERICAN SERVICE, DURING THE WAR OF 1812]

-3rd August 1814 to August 1815-

Captain Price departed France from Bordeaux and arrived in Maine, North America with 57th Foot on 3rd August 1814 as part of the Canadian border defence force.

During the American war of 1812, the Americans attacked Fort Erie, Ontario twice in 1812. They captured and abandoned it in 1813, and then recaptured it again in 1814. The Americans then held it for a time, breaking a prolonged British siege. Later they destroyed Fort Erie and returned to Buffalo, N.Y. in the winter of 1814. The available histories of the British units present on the Canadian - US border during the American War include mention of 57th Foot being involved in border protection but are sketchy at best and don’t seem to mention much about the disposition of 57th Foot, but recently an American metal detector enthusiast has found military coat buttons belonging to the 57th Foot at Fort Erie which clearly indicates that the unit were indeed involved during the Fort Erie siege.

After a year in North America the 57th Foot returned to Europe with an arrival at Ghent in August 1815 where they served as part of the Army of Occupation for two years.

Captain Price is listed in the Army List of 1817 (Page 319) at which time the commanding officer was Sir Hugh Dalrymple. He is then recorded as being on half pay from 25th December 1821 & in receipt of an annual pension of £70pa from 25th December 1827.

[SUMMARY]
This is one of the finest & most desirable Military General Service Medals a collector could ask for. Basically it’s got everything. It’s an officer’s medal to one of the most famous units in the British Army. The recipient fought in three battles, was seriously wounded in action in the Pyrenees during The Peninsular War and he also served in the American War of 1812.

The medal is rare survivor which has come down to us in choice mint state with totally undisturbed & original Ebony black toning. It comes with several service record copies & confirming medal rolls.





This medal has it all .....
AN OFFICER,
IN THE DIE HARDS,
SERIOUSLY WOUNDED IN ACTION
& FOUGHT IN THE AMERICAN WAR OF 1812.

A totally fabulous pedigree medal fit for the finest collection.

Ex-PAYNE COLLECTION, GLENDININGS, FEBRUARY 1940. £3750

(Serious Telephone Enquiries Welcome on 01342-870926)