WATERLOO MEDAL, 1815, disc only (Francis Moran, Hospital Asst. Royal Staff Corps.); officially impressed. Lightly toned, light surface marks and several edge knocks and scrapes, a bold fine thus, and rare. Assistant Surgeon Francis Moran MD was born in Ireland, and having studied Medicine at Edinburgh University he attested for service as a Hospital Assistant with the Royal Staff Corps on the 22nd of April 1813, and subsequently served in the Peninsular Wars from June 1813 until April 1814. Whilst his name is not recorded on the Waterloo Medal Roll, he is believed to have been present at the Battle of Waterloo on the 18th of June 1815 and to have submitted a successful late claim. In his role as Hospital Assistant on that day we can assume he was faced with the treatment of a seemingly endless number of casualties in the days that followed, many of whom suffered horrific cannon, gunshot and small arms wounds on that day. The ‘Army List’ of 1821 shows that he was promoted to the rank of Assistant Surgeon soon after this famous battle on the 17th of August, 1815, and was later placed on half pay on the 25th of December 1818. He went on to take a position as Assistant Surgeon on the Colonial Medical Establishment of New South Wales, Australia, arriving there on the 15th of August, 1822, and remained in this position for a number of years, largely based at Port Macquarie and Newcastle - having become land owner at Hunter’s River, in particular the Duck River Farm. During his time there he appears to have played a prominent role in treating an outbreak of whooping cough, amongst other numerous other examples of medical practice. He retired from the position and moved to Sydney for a time, where he was involved in saving the lives of a father and daughter from drowning, before travelling to India. He was mentioned in the London Gazette on the 18th of November 1831 as transferring at Madras into the 54th Foot as Assistant Surgeon with that regiment, however after several years he returned to Australia, residing at Pitt Street, Sydney. At this point he appears to have run into trouble with the authorities, and was imprisoned for ‘an impropriety of conduct in the Police Office.’ He was soon released, but immediately was struck down with illness and delirium, and was found dead on the 30th of March, 1839 - with the cause of death considered ‘disease due to ill-temperance’, which given his symptoms and life in the tropics seems somewhat harsh. Sold with a quantity of research, London Gazette and Army List mentions, and copious material sourced from the website ‘Free Settler or Felon’ as regards his later life in Australia.
WATERLOO MEDAL, 1815, disc only (Francis Moran, Hospital Asst. Royal Staff Corps.); officially impressed. Lightly toned, light surface marks and several edge knocks and scrapes, a bold fine thus, and rare. Assistant Surgeon Francis Moran MD was born in Ireland, and having studied Medicine at Edinburgh University he attested for service as a Hospital Assistant with the Royal Staff Corps on the 22nd of April 1813, and subsequently served in the Peninsular Wars from June 1813 until April 1814. Whilst his name is not recorded on the Waterloo Medal Roll, he is believed to have been present at the Battle of Waterloo on the 18th of June 1815 and to have submitted a successful late claim. In his role as Hospital Assistant on that day we can assume he was faced with the treatment of a seemingly endless number of casualties in the days that followed, many of whom suffered horrific cannon, gunshot and small arms wounds on that day. The ‘Army List’ of 1821 shows that he was promoted to the rank of Assistant Surgeon soon after this famous battle on the 17th of August, 1815, and was later placed on half pay on the 25th of December 1818. He went on to take a position as Assistant Surgeon on the Colonial Medical Establishment of New South Wales, Australia, arriving there on the 15th of August, 1822, and remained in this position for a number of years, largely based at Port Macquarie and Newcastle - having become land owner at Hunter’s River, in particular the Duck River Farm. During his time there he appears to have played a prominent role in treating an outbreak of whooping cough, amongst other numerous other examples of medical practice. He retired from the position and moved to Sydney for a time, where he was involved in saving the lives of a father and daughter from drowning, before travelling to India. He was mentioned in the London Gazette on the 18th of November 1831 as transferring at Madras into the 54th Foot as Assistant Surgeon with that regiment, however after several years he returned to Australia, residing at Pitt Street, Sydney. At this point he appears to have run into trouble with the authorities, and was imprisoned for ‘an impropriety of conduct in the Police Office.’ He was soon released, but immediately was struck down with illness and delirium, and was found dead on the 30th of March, 1839 - with the cause of death considered ‘disease due to ill-temperance’, which given his symptoms and life in the tropics seems somewhat harsh. Sold with a quantity of research, London Gazette and Army List mentions, and copious material sourced from the website ‘Free Settler or Felon’ as regards his later life in Australia.
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/117921/Internet%20Image%201.jpg "Source: Dix Noonan Webb")
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