Full medal write up
Colour Sergeant John Chain was born in Tingwell, Inverness, circa 1782 and enlisted into the Northlowland Fencibles at Lerwick on 9 October 1793. Chain continued service with them until joining the 71st (Highlander) Regiment of Foot at Downpatrick on 18 July 1800, presumably as he reached 18 years of age. He would serve with the 71st throughout their various service and campaigns until finally being discharged as a Colour Sergeant in consequence of being worn out in the service, 16 July 1825.
His papers record his conduct as being:
"Extremely good, zealous, trustworthy and brave. Severely wounded in the left arm at Vimiera 21st August 1808, slight in the left arm near Pamplona 30th July 1813. Twice in the left arm, one severe and one slight at Waterloo 18th June 1815."
On discharge he was noted as being about 42 years of age. There is no trace of him claiming a Military General Service Medal so he probably died before 1847.
Musters show Chain, who served in Captain Forbe’s Grenadier company, embarked for South Africa on 30 July 1805 and subsequently would have been at the capture of the Cape of Good Hope 1806, including the action at Blauberg. Shortly after, the 71st embarked took part Admiral Popham’s disastrous expedition Río de la Plata. Here the 71st, who were the only British regiment present during the expedition, were captured in their entirety after their surrender at Buenos Aires, 14 August 1806. Over the following months, the captured soldiers of the 71st were moved into the interior of the country before their final release in late 1807.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_invasions_of_the_River_Plate
It is not fully clear who were prisoners in South America during this period as the musters were not completed until 1809. However the as the entire 71st were captured, it is assumed Private Chain was one of those. A note to this is that muster entries were no different to a previous 71st Foot private researched, who left an account of his capture at Bueos Aires and subsequent captivity and later release. Chain is shown in musters as on his way home from South America in December 1807, which is when the prisoners started to be sent home as they were brought in from multiple locations in the interior of the country.
Having arrived at Cork, Chain embarked with his battalion for service in Portugal in July 1808 and 3 weeks later took part in the battle of Vimiera, 21st August 1808. During the battle, Captain Forbes’s Grenadier company greatly distinguished itself, when along with the Light company of the 36th Foot, they captured 5 enemy guns and a howitzer. During the charge on the guns, the Grenadier company lost 2 Officers and 13 men wounded, with 2 men killed. Private Chain was one of the former, being severely wounded in the left arm. The 71st suffered the highest number of casualties at Vimiera with 112 killed and wounded.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Vimeiro
Musters for 1809, show Chain as remaining sick in hospital at Lisbon until March 1809 and then to have been serving with the 2nd Battalion of Detachments. This battalion was made up of small numbers of men from various regiments who had been left in Portugal when the Army embarked for Britain after the battle of Corunna. As such he would have been one of the small number of men from the 71st who fought at the battle of Talavera, 27-8 July 1809 (only 10 men received the clasp to their MGS medal). Rejoining the 71st at Deal at the beginning of 1810, Chain and the 71st embarked for Portugal in September that year. Chain was present with his battalion in the peninsular during the rest of the war. Promoted Corporal in April 1811 and moving to 10 company, he was advance to Sergeant in April 1813. He was wounded near Pamplona on 30 July 1813 (battle of Beunza) and between then and November 1813, he is shown at General Hospital Bilbao, rejoining in late November.
http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/combat_beunza.html
As such there is no reason to believe he was not present also at the battles of Fuentes D’Nor, Arroya D’Molino, Almarez, Alba de Tormes, Vittoria, Puerto Maya, Pyrenees, Nive, Saint Sever, Orthes, Aire and Toulouse.
Sergeant Chain further served in Captain James Henderson’s number 4 company where he was again twice wounded. Musters show him in hospital in Brussells until returned to duty in September 1815.
The 71st played a full part in this great battle at Waterloo. Assigned to Adam’s Light Brigade (along with the 1/52nd and 2/95th)on the right of the battlefield, they first endured over two hours of intense artillery fire. When they moved, they left many dead and wounded on the ground. They then repulsed seven cavalry charges, during one of which the Duke, attended only by his trumpeter, took refuge in their square. Towards evening, following the example of the 52nd and with the 95th in close support, they charged the Guard and drove it back. Leading the final advance, the 71st assaulted the Guard’s reserve positions and captured a battery, one of whose guns they turned around and fired at the retreating enemy. This is thought to have been the last shot of the battle. An original painting of this incident entitled ‘The Last Gun at Waterloo’ is in the Regimental Museum.
Condition; disc mounted in swing brooch mount. Disc itself VF or better, naming clear with minor EK’s and wear, indeed could be reconstituted if wished with little evidence bar a small plug at 6’oclock. Sold with service papers and copy musters 1805-14 (digital).
An extremely fine service with the 71st, including campaigns in The Cape, South America, Peninsular and Waterloo.