SOUTH AFRICA MEDAL (1854)
To:
J. Mc LACHLAN 45th Foot (Nottinghamshire).
(on Roll as Pte James Mc LAUGHLIN)
" A Possible Transportation Criminal"
A VERY INTERESTING MEDAL
This medal has had a bit of a hard life, for reasons that may soon become apparent, and has been used as an ex-obverse mounted brooch.
Solder has been expertly removed from the obverse legends which have been restored to a good standard of clarity.
The suspender has been refixed but it is not loose.
The medal has some bumps and bangs to the lower rim and naming, but is still fully readable and as such is a fully researchable item at a total bargain price.
This is a medal that we felt, despite its obvious cosmetic problems was far too interesting to scrap or ignore.
There is on the Criminal Transportation Lists of 1864 a J. (John) Mc LACHLAN (aged 31). This is the same spelling as is shown on the medal ( Roll is spelt Mc LAUGHLIN)
The J. Mc LACHLIN, aged 31 (No. 8360) on the Criminal lists was sentenced at Glasgow on 26th September 1864 to a term of 14 years re-transportation to the Australian Penal colonies of Swan River Colony (Now Perth, Western Australia) where he arrived in 1865 on "The Racehorse".
This was apparently his second sentence of transportation as the charge during this court appearance was "RETURNING FROM TRANSPORTATION & ASSAULT"
He is actually described as a "seaman" of 31 in 1864 and as boys went to sea at 9 years old in those days he could have been born in 1833 had a short stint in the army as a teenager and been at sea before and after his service in South Africa.
His description was :SINGLE / 5ft 3.3/4" Hair turning grey, Eyes Grey, Complexion Fair, Face Long, Build Middling Stout, Marks: Bracelet each wrist (a common tatoo of the time) Burn marks left groin.
It would be interesting to see if this description can be varified against any army records or musters that might still be available.
Although this man's name is recorded as "John" and not "James" I am convinced that this is the same man as also on the ship on this second voyage out to Australia is shown an NCO from his old Regiment the 45th Foot who was maybe on board to keep an eye on things and perhaps was also being posted to serve in the Swan River prison colony. Maybe this is also why this medal was left behind with a sweetheart and made into a brooch.
Further reserach may bring up some more intersting details.
SOLD