AN EXCEPTIONAL AND RARE MGS 1793 TO A ROYAL YORK RANGERS LIGHT COMPANY OFFICER WHO WAS SEVERAL TIMES WOUNDED DURING HIS SERVICE, INCLUDING AT THE TAKING OF MARTINIQUE IN 1809. HIS COMPANY LEADING A BAYONET CHARGE AT THE TAKING OF GUADELOUPE, THE RANGERS SUFFERING OVER A THIRD OF THE NUMBER OF CASUALTIES SUFFERED BY THE ENTIRE ARMY THEY WERE LATER CELEBRATED IN DESPATCHES FOR THEIR GALLANTRY

MILITARY GENERAL SERVICE 1793,2 CLASPS MARTINIQUE, GUADALOUPE ‘JOHN FLETCHER, LIEUT. ROYAL YORK RANGERS’

THE ROYAL YORK RANGERS

The Royal York Rangers was formed in 1807 from companies of the Royal African Corps serving in Guernsey. It was primarily composed of condemned men, mostly British and Irish prisoners desperate to escape the gallows. Despite its penal battalion character, it was an extremely effective regiment, receiving praise for is conduct and gallantry during the operations against Martinique and Guadeloupe. At the latter, the Regiment would sustain extremely high casualties whilst assaulting the enemy’s hilltop positions, the taking of which led to the surrender of the French on the Island. With a uniform of green with red facings, they looked not dissimilar to the 60th Rifles who uniform it was based on.

CAPTAIN JOHN FLETCHER

The service of Captain John Fletcher from a book ‘Our Kindred Spirits’, 1995, by G Mitchell which details his family history:

“…Once Commissioned, young John Fletcher set out to gain his own high reputation, especially during service in the British West Indies. Although he was promoted from Cornet to Lieutenant in the Wagon train on 2nd Jan 1806, he must have found such ancillary troops to tame for his liking. In 1806 the Royal African Corps was converted to Light Infantry Regiments, one being designated the Royal York Rangers a year later. As a keen Subaltern he was able to arrange a transfer to this front-line Corps, effective 5th March 1807.

By mid 1808 British troops were being concentrated on Barbados or aboard ships of the Royal Navy, prior to operations against the French held islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe. As the ear ended more troops arrived from Bermuda and Halifax and were organised as two Divisions under the overall command of General Sir George Beckwith. A force of 10,000 men set sail for Martinique on 28th Jan 1809. On the morning of 30th the 2nd Division landed in force at St Luce, detaching the RYR’s to land at Anse d’Arlet, capture the battery at Cap Salomon and seize the heights commanding Pigeon Island. As the main force pushed inland with little resistance, the Rangers under Major Henderson reached their objectives and the Navy’s Blue jackets, with much labour brought the heavy guns to the heights. By 3rd Feb these guns were able to fire into the fort at Pigeon Island which surrendered the next day, leaving the entrance to Fort Royal Bay open to the British Fleet.

A month or so after Martiniques capture, a French Squadron sailed into some nearby islands called the Saints. Gen Maitland commanding the 2nd Division was ordered to seize them with a detachment of 2800 men, including the RYR’s Flank Companies. Setting out from Martinique on 12th April, Gen Maitland’s troops forced the surrender of the Saints and returned within a week. That August the Colonel of the RYR, John Fraser (later Gen), wrote to his superior indicating Fletcher’s notable part in these operations………………………

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Condition EF, with original ribbon and a very attractive patina. Sold with research on CD including Gazettes for actions in West Indies, letters regarding Half Pay, that details some of his service, letters regarding his original Commission and transfer to the Royal African Corps and other research. Just 49 medals issued to the Royal York Rangers, 5 of which were to Officers.

An exceptional and very rare medal that would be hard to better for the campaigns in the West Indies 1808-15.