Description
Military General Service Medal, bar Corunna, Gunner William Schofield, Royal Artillery, one of the original “Corunna Battery” Men who served in Truscotts Company at the Battle of Corunna.
Officially impressed: “W. Schofield, Gunner. R. Arty.”
Confirmed on the medal roll as a member of Truscott’s Company, 3rd Bn Royal Artillery. Rare surviving example to the famous Corunna battery, about 400 Corunna clasps were issued to the Royal Artillery including the Royal Artillery Drivers, only 63 of them were members of the two “Corunna” units, the companies led by Wilmot and Truscott.
These 2 companies were the only Royal Artillery men who fielded gun brigades in the Battle at Corunna on 16th January 1809 where Sir John Moore fell in action.
The battalion is still in existence and still proudly sports the Battle Honour of Corunna as the 3/29th (Corunna) Battery, 4th Regiment of Royal Artillery or the “Fighting Fourth”.
A brief resume of their history at Corunna is recounted in the 2017 book by Tom Martin, Falklands Gunner, published by Pen and Sword, he had served with 29 Corunna Field Battery during the Falklands War, Tom recalls that as the most junior officer of the battery, it was his responsibility to recite the Battery History on the anniversary of the battle wherever they were at the time, he copied it on the back of his note book which reads:
“The Battery was originally formed as Hislop’s Company in 1755. After being stationed in Canterbury in 1802 the company landed at Corunna in 1808, under Truscott’s Command (1805-1814), and joined the army advancing towards Salamanca.
Napoleon’s victories forced the army into withdrawal during which the Company formed part of the Rear Guard.
Sir John Moore brought this army to Corunna and on the evening of 14th January began the embarkation onto the waiting transport ships.
The next day the French pushed back the rear guard and occupied the heights overlooking the British positions. Throughout the 15th the sick and wounded, along with most of the cavalry and all but a few of the artillery pieces, were embarked without interference by the French.
On the 16th the French attacked and met with some success, however the British infantry, with Truscott’s guns in support, held firm and began to outflank the French. The latter, finding themselves under fire from both the front and the flank, started to withdraw, but the retreat soon turned into a rout. During the battle, Sir John Moore was killed. No pursuit was attempted and during the night and the following morning the remainder of the exhausted British Army was embarked.
For this action as well as heroic efforts during the retreat, the descendants of the Company were, in 1936, allowed to assume the Battle Honour of ‘Corunna’.”
Having served in many different capacities and over 200 years later, the “Corunna” Battery still survives and still holds an annual celebration on “Corunna Day”.
