PRIVATE J. SANDERSON, 12TH (EAST SUFFOLK) REGIMENT (THE POST 1880 1ST AND 2ND BATTALIONS THE SUFFOLK REGIMENT). South Africa Medal 1834-53

PRIVATE J. SANDERSON, 12TH (EAST SUFFOLK) REGIMENT (THE POST 1880 1ST AND 2ND BATTALIONS THE SUFFOLK REGIMENT). South Africa Medal 1834-53 (officially impressed: J. SAUNDERSON. 12th. REGt.). Note incorrect spelling of surname. Bruise to reverse rim at 6 o’clock and scattered rim nicks and surface contact marks, otherwise Good Very Fine to Almost Extremely Fine.

Medal accompanied by 4 pages copied discharge papers, copied extracts from published medal rolls (original and published) which confirm award of medal to Private Joseph Sanderson (surname spelt Saunderson on original roll and Sanderson on published roll, but with footnote in published roll to the effect that surname is spelt incorrectly as Saunderson on original roll, which would explain incorrect spelling of surname on medal, the medal being named up on the basis of the spelling of surname in the original medal roll) and that Sanderson saw service in South Africa during the Third Kaffir War of 1850-53. Medal also accompanied by brief research re. the Sanderson family.

Born 12/6/1816 at West Wratting, Cambridgeshire, the son of Robert Sanderson, Joseph Sanderson enlisted into the 12th Foot at Moulton, Suffolk, on 13/7/1840. At the time of enlistment he was 24 years old and gave his trade as that of labourer. Sanderson was promoted Corporal, 17/9/1844, but was tried by regimental court-martial August 1846 and reduced to Private on 27/8/1846. Sanderson never again rose above the rank of Private and was discharged at Chatham on 12/11/1861, after 21 years and 132 days with the colours. At the time of discharge Sanderson’s conduct was described as having been “good”, although he was noted as having once been tried by court-martial and having had his name entered into the Regimental Defaulter’s Book four times, with the result that he was ineligible for an LSGC Medal. On discharge Sanderson gave his intended place of residence as Inverness. Joseph Sanderson is recorded as still being alive, aged 80, in June 1896. His brother, John Sanderson, is recorded in the 1871 census as a 54 year old unemployed agricultural labourer, living at West Wratting, Cambridgeshire.

Discharge papers bear a note to the effect that Sandersoon was “ineligible for Army of Reserve”. Discharge papers also confirm South Africa Medal 1834-53 as Sanderson’s sole medal entitlement.