Description
Meritorious Service Medal, VR, Sergeant James Goggins, 88th Connaught Rangers and long serving Regimental Recruiter, Wounded in Crimea and awarded the French Legion D’Honneur for gallantry on multiple occasions.
Officially engraved: “Sergt J. Goggins. Dublin Recruitg District”
“Sergeant James Goggins served throughout the campaign, and was conspicuous in his gallantry on several occasions, as well as for the coolness and judgement which he invariably displayed in the discharge of his duties throughout the siege.
He is now Staff Sergeant of the recruiting service in Ireland.” – General Sir Horatio Shirley, The Crimean Campaign with the Connaught Rangers 1854-55-56
Provenance sold as a single medal circa 1997 noted by McInnes in the Annuity Meritorious Service Medal 1847-1953.
M.S.M. received 7th May 1884, with an annuity of £10.
Sergeant Goggins was wounded in action by a shell on 28th October 1854.
Award of the Legion D’Honneur announced in the London Gazette 4th August 1856 page 2704
One of only 8 men from the 88th Connaught Rangers to receive the Legion D’Honneur, being one of only 2 men honoured who were not officers, only a fraction of the allotted awards of the Legion D’Honneur for the war would be awarded to Non Commissioned Officers.
Entitled to a Crimean War Medal, 3 bars for Alma, Inkermann and Sebastopol, however it is not noted as named when issued, it appears this would be his only officially named medal.
Some mentions in the Regimental History by General Shirley.
Page 254:
“On the evening of the 21st (July 1855) I was again in the trenches, and occupied a portion of our most advanced works; when occupying the same post on a previous night I deemed it advisable to place a Corporal and file in a small ravine, which ran up towards our trench from the Russian side, and which, being a weak point, required watching.
With Sergeant Goggins, a Corporal, and 2 men I proceeded down this ravine, and had progressed but a short distance, when several Russians jumped up from the long grass close in front of us and bolted. Soon afterwards we heard a rustling in the grass, and could just discern some figures moving at the end of the ravine, and we could hear the sound of fixing bayonets; some shots were fired at us, but nobody was touched; they seem to have retired after this, and my sentries kept their ground and were not molested afterwards. I had 1 man killed and 5 men wounded today.”
Page 251-2
“When in the trenches on the 8th (July 1855) two men of my company (Privates John Hanley and Edward Montague) were both killed by a shell while on day sentry duty in the advanced boyau; one of my sergeants (Goggins) went to visit them, when he found both the poor fellows lying dead, evidently killed simultaneously by the bursting of a shell between them. I was very sorry to indeed to hear of their sad fate, for they were two of the most cheery and willing men in my company and had weathered the hardships of the winter and the dangers of the siege without a grumble.”
2455 Sergeant James Goggins was born in Barnaderg, Kellerin, Tuam, County Galway, Ireland during 1828
He attested for service aged 19 on 30th December 1847.
After returning home from Crimea he married Elizabeh Ralph on 15th Dec 1856.
He served 9 years 182 days of official service with 4 years 5 months overseas, this comprised of:
West Indies, 1 year 3 months
North America, 1 year 2 months
Eastern Expedition (Crimea), 2 years 2 months.
His service was stated as:
“Very Good, he received 1st Good Conduct Badge in December 1852 and is not in possesion of it.
He is in possession of a medal and three claps for Alma, Inkermann and Sebastopol.
He also received the decoration of Knight of the Legion of Honour”
Promotions, Private 30th Dec 1847 – 14th July 1853
Corporal, 15th July 1853 – 9th may 1854
Sergeant, 10th May 1854 – 31st March 1857.
He was found unfit for further field service during 1857 being assessed by a Dr Maclachlan was having been suffering from swelling in his left leg since the harsh winter of 1854-55 in Crimea, and had been made worse by him marching through the pain.
A note from the Dr also stated that he had extensive varix on his left leg showing some entry and exit scars on his thigh that “He says were received by fragment of shell”.
He was discharged but it was not the end of his long association with the Army, he had served only 9 years but received a good pension “He has been granted a temporary pension for a longer period that is usual on account of his gallant conduct at his expiration he should be re-examined.”
In 1861 his pension was naturally extended for another year, and by 1862 it was made permanent under a special exemption whilst serving as a Staff Sergeant.
By 1889 he was given another special increase “Specially increased to 25 a day under treasury sanction, for gallant conduct and long service on the Recruiting Staff”
He lived until the age of 82 and died in Cavan, Ireland during late 1911.
