Description
Turkish Crimea Medal, Sardinian Issue, 2782 Pte Robert Spearing, 14th Regiment of Foot.
Possibly die flaw to obverse resulting in some bubbling. With a soldered hallmarked silver ring for suspension.
Contemporarily engraved: “2782 R Spearing 1 B 14 Foot.”
Robert Spearing was born circa 1826 in the small village of Wookey, near Wells, Somerset.
He first attested for service with the 14th Regiment of Foot on 20th October 1849. He strangely stated that he was a few months past his 17th Birthday, but he was in fact about 23, possibly he reduced his age slightly for an enlistment bounty?
He would go on to serve for 10 years and 39 days, with 3 Months overseas in Malta, 1 year 4 months in Crimea and 1 year 3 months in the Ionian Islands.
His service was recorded as: “They have been very good. He had never been tried by a Court Martial, and his name appears but once in the Regimental Defaulters Book. He is not entitled to any good conduct badges.
He is in possession of a silver medal with one clasp for service in the Crimea and he is also in possession of a silver medal granted to him by the Sultan of Turkey for service before Sevastopol.”
Discharged 3rd January 1859.
After leaving the army he returned home to Wookey and lived there for the rest of his life.
He is noted in the Wells Journal, 24th June 1897, at the Wookey celebrations of the Jubilee, being present with 2 other veterans wearing their Crimean War Medals:
“….Where they were joined by many of the villagers, amongst whom were 3 Crimean Veterans, viz., Robert Spearing, Robert Voisey and Thomas Foot, wearing their well-earned medals, and paraded through the main street to the Parish church, where the commemoration service was held as on Sunday.
Service being over, all above fourteen proceeded to the Board school to partake in a luncheon, about 250 accepting the invitation of the committee, in 2 sections. The vicar occupied the chair. The first section having done justice to the good thing provided for them, the Chairman proposed the toasts of the day, of the ‘Queen, Prince and Princess of Wales, and the rest of the Royal Family,’ after which all heartily joined in singing the National Anthem.
Mr. R. Tyley next proposed ‘The Army, Navy, Military and Colonial Forces,’ and dwelt upon the friendly relations that existed between the mother country and the Colonies.
He coupled the toast with the names of the Crimean Veterans present, Mr Robert Spearing responding, in an interesting manner…..”
He later died at home in Wookey on 20th March 1904, and is buried in St Matthews Churchyard, Wookey.
