GUNNER AND DRIVER R. HILLIER, NO. 1 COMPANY, 12TH BATTALION ROYAL ARTILLERY. Crimea Medal 1854-56, 2 clasps, Inkerman, Sebastopol

GUNNER AND DRIVER R. HILLIER, NO. 1 COMPANY, 12TH BATTALION ROYAL ARTILLERY. Crimea Medal 1854-56, 2 clasps, Inkerman, Sebastopol (officially impressed: GUNr. & DRIVER R. HILLIER. R. ARTy.). Almost Extremely Fine.

1569 Gunner and Driver Robert Hillier died whilst on active service in the Crimea on 3/2/1855.

Medal accompanied by photocopied medal roll extracts for No. 1 Company, 12th Battalion Royal Artillery for the Alma and Inkerman clasps, confirming Inkerman clasp only, and the roll for men of the same unit serving in the Crimea between 1/10/1854 and 9/9/1855, confirming Sebastopol clasp. Sebastopol roll confirms Hillier as having died on 3/2/1855.

Because Robert Hillier was a casualty, as confirmed by the Sebastopol roll and the officially impressed naming on his medal, his service papers are among those that have not survived.

There was one other R. Hillier serving with the Royal Artillery during the Crimea campaign, a Gunner Richard Hillier, who was entitled to the Crimea Medal with Sebastopol clasp only. This second R. Hillier served with the 1st Battalion Royal Artillery.

That this is the medal for 1569 Gunner and Driver Robert Hillier rather thatn the one awarded to Gunner Richard Hillier is confirmed both by the rank impressed on the medal, Gunner and Driver rather than Gunner, and by the medal roll for Robert Hillier’s Sebastopol clasp, which records him as having died on 3/2/1855 and gives his rank as Gunner and Driver, whereas Richard Hillier is given only as Gunner.