SERGEANT (LATER COLOUR SERGEANT) JOHN BROWN, 45TH (NOTTINGHAMSHIRE) REGIMENT (THE POST 1880 1ST BATTALION THE SHERWOOD FORRESTERS, DERBYSHIRE REGIMENT) South Africa Medal 1834-53 (officially impressed: SERJt. J. BROWN. 45th. REGt.).

SERGEANT (LATER COLOUR SERGEANT) JOHN BROWN, 45TH (NOTTINGHAMSHIRE) REGIMENT (THE POST 1880 1ST BATTALION THE SHERWOOD FORRESTERS, DERBYSHIRE REGIMENT) South Africa Medal 1834-53 (officially named, impressed in serifed upper and lower case letters and numbers: SERJt. J. BROWN. 45th. REGt.). Suspension claw tightened, brooch marks to obverse at 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock, scattered contact marks and rim nicks, polished, otherwise Good Very Fine.

Medal accompanied by 4 pages copied service papers, copied extract from Everson’s “The South Africa 1853 Medal”, including a medal roll for the 45th Foot, which records a total of six J. Brown’s of the 45th Regiment as being entitled to the South Africa 1834-53 Medal, a Drummer John Brown, a Private James Brown, three Private John Browns and one Private Joseph Brown.

Of these six men, only one rose to the rank of Sergeant while serving with the 45th Foot, 1754 Private / Sergeant John Brown.

Medal also accompanied by copied extract original medal roll, which confirms that the then then 1754 Private John Brown saw service in South Africa during the campaign of 1846-47.

1754 Sergeant John Brown was born in Farnham Royal, Windsor, Buckinghamshire circa 1823. He enlisted into the 45th Foot at Windsor on 15/8/1839. At the time of enlistment Brown was 16 years old and gave his trade as labourer. He was promoted Corporal, 8/10/1849, Sergeant, 12/3/1852 and Colour Sergeant 2/10/1855, and was discharge at Dublin on 7/2/1863, after having seen 21 years and 193 days service with the colours. At the time of discharge, Brown’s conduct was described as having been “good”. In addition to service at home, Brown saw 16 and a half years service overseas, the whole of that overseas service at the Cape of Good Hope. Service papers also confirm service during the campaign of 1846-47 and record Brown as giving his intended place of residence at the time of discharge as Cork.

Everson records that two companies of the 45th Foot took part in the Battle of Bloomplaats, 29/8/1848, against Boer settlers, during which action the two companies of the 45th Foot lost 3 men killed and 19 wounded.