Description
Great Britain. Military General Service 1793-1814, one clasp, Corunna (A Holloway, 1st Foot Guards), a couple minor edge bruises, otherwise good, very fine.
Private Aaron Holloway volunteered for the army reserve of the 66th regiment in August 1803 recorded at the time as a labourer from Aldermaston aged 22 years. He marched with the other volunteers to Winchester and enlisted in the 1st Foot Guards on 1st October 1803. Served with the first battalion a Corunna with Sir John Moore and with Lt. Colonel Townsend's company at Waterloo where they suffered 60% casualties.
He retired on pension on the 12th April 1823 with 21 years 292 days pensionable service (2 years added for Waterloo) and became a Chelsea out pensioner.
The retreat to Corunna was carried out amidst the very worst of the Spanish winter made worse by the total breakdown of the Commissariat which in turn led to widespread indiscipline amongst the troops resulting in a loss of over 3000 men. The 1st Foot Guards were one of the few regiments to maintain discipline and figured heavily in the ensuing battle where the Army sustained a further 900 casualties. Mortally wounded at the height of the battle General Sir John Moore survived long enough to see British Victory and died knowing he had done his duty. The 1st Foot guards were given the singular honour of pall bearers at his funeral.
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