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| Sergeant John Douglas, 3rd Battalion, The
Royal Scots. From a photograph owned by the family |
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| A house in Lurgan connected with his family. An
inscription in a family member's writing on the back - taken in
1873. |
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| Left: MGS Medal; Right: Waterloo medal |
John Douglas was born in Lurgan, Ireland, in about 1781-9. He was born
into a modest branch of the aristocratic Douglas family. Though they had
sufficient funds to give him a good education and put him through his
apprenticeship, he served as a soldier in the Royal Scots.
On his enlistment he was described as a 'weaver', and on some of his
children's marriage certificates as gentleman,cabinetmaker and civil
servant.
He wrote his memoirs of his experiences as a soldier in the Royal Scots from 1809-1817.
The book provides a narrative of the Peninsular Campaign, with a
descriptions of Quatre Bras, and the Battle of Waterloo.
His Waterloo Medal and Military General Service Medal bearing clasps
for Busaco, Fuentes De onoro, Salamaca, Vittoria, San Sebastion, Nivelle
and Nive, are held in the South African Museum of Military History in
Johannesburg. His medals are inscribed with his name and the rank of
Corporal, so it seems likely that he was promoted to Sergeant after
Waterloo.
After he left the army, he was employed at the
Royal Hibernian Military
School for some years, from at least 1826 when the second of his sons to
survive to adulthood was born there. (Incidentally this son fought in the
Indian Mutiny and was at the relief of Lucknow). The RHMS was an
institution for the children of soldiers serving abroad, and most of his
other children were also born there.
His date of death is not known, but he was alive in 1848.
His son John George also had quite an interesting army career. James
Gardiner Douglas went to England. Robert Henry stayed in Ireland, one of
his children went to NZ. John George, after serving in India during the
rebellion went back to Ireland. Of the rest all stayed in Ireland, except
Mary Dorcas who married and went to Canada, and perhaps Ann Jane who may
have gone to England. William Frederick's son went to Australia then South
Africa.
The last surviving (2017) Douglas male descendant lives in South
Africa.
Note:
1. The photograph of Sgt John is causing some problems.
As a sergeant, he would not normally carry a sword; the uniform is not
that of the Royal Scots, and the shako has a bugle, not the badge of RHMS.
When did he gain a third medal?
See also:
Douglas families in
Lurgan
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