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Waterloo - RUDGE

Waterloo - RUDGE

Posted: 1 Jun 2015 4:40PM GMT
Classification: Query
Surnames: Rudge
One of my ancestors was:
Corporal Joseph RUDGE who I was told was in Capt Kelly's Company of the 51st (2nd York West Riding) Light Infantry Regiment. Joseph may have been ill before Waterloo but was wounded at Waterloo. He was a 'career' soldier. I believe he was in the army for about 9 years.
Someone said he had received a pension through the Chelsea Pensioners organisation in 1819, but I don't know if he did. He was born around 1783, he died in 1853 in Cumnor Berkshire. His wife was Sarah Neal(e), they may have married 1808, but his name was spelt Ridge. I would be very grateful if you would look in the pay records, discharge records and medical records. Any information would be appreciated. Thank you

Re: Waterloo - RUDGE

Posted: 4 Jun 2015 3:23AM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 4 Jun 2015 3:47AM GMT
Somebody has probably seen this http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C9520813
but has not seen the document which it refers to, which I think is the document attached.

The document is WO 121 Royal Hospital, Chelsea Discharge Documents of Pensioners and it's for a discharge in 1821.

WO = War Office, which was the holder of the record prior to it's being deposited in the archives of the UK National Archives at Kew in London.

If so, then it looks as though there might have been a transcription error with the regiment number, and the regiment referred to on the document index as the 51st should really have been the 57th.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/51st_%282nd_Yorkshire_West_Ridi...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/57th_%28West_Middlesex%29_Regim...

http://www.napoleon-series.org/military/organization/Britain...

****************************************************
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_ps=15&am...

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_ps=15&am...
Attachments:

Re: Waterloo - RUDGE

Posted: 4 Jun 2015 4:43AM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 4 Jun 2015 5:24AM GMT
Surnames: Rudge
"He was born around 1783" I notice that no birth place is stated. Another piece of second hand sourced information I suppose.

These attachments are for a man called Joseph Rudge who was born in County Berkshire circa 1784 who served in the 51st Regiment for almost 10 years, from 1809 to 1819 and who was discharged as a Sergeant.

However the document also says that he enlisted in 1816, so go figure, presumably that was an error.

He enlisted in Brighton aged 32.

The dates are a bit garbled so you'll have to make your own mind up about their significance in relation to his age, and this is a good example of why it's essential to view original documents for yourself, as opposed to accepting what somebody has "told" you.

He was a Corporal at the time of Waterloo.

Possibly the same person as the man in the Chelsea document, because the way that 51st is written on this document looks very similar to 57th so perhaps the same thing applies to the Chelsea document, even though the Chelsea document looks like 57th.

There's a lot of I was tolds going on with your information, presumably you mean told by someone online, anyway what matters is not what you were or are told, but what you know and can prove as factually accurate about him, and in this case, his year and place of birth are especially important, i.e can you prove that your relative and this soldier, or any other soldier, are the same person. ?
Attachments:

Re: Waterloo - RUDGE

Posted: 4 Jun 2015 5:35AM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 4 Jun 2015 5:56AM GMT
As for all these unsourced and undocumented "I was tolds",...this "I was told",...
"I was told was in Capt Kelly's Company of the 51st (2nd York West Riding) Light Infantry Regiment",...relates to this attachment.

The Waterloo Medal Roll. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterloo_Medal

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C3763777

http://www.london-medals.co.uk/the-interesting-waterloo-meda...

https://www.theonlinebookcompany.com/OnlineBooks/Waterloo/Pe...

http://www.nam.ac.uk/waterloo200/themes/battle/the-51st-regi...

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4398704
Attachments:

Re: Waterloo - RUDGE

Posted: 17 Jun 2015 1:50PM GMT
Classification: Query
Thank you so much for this information and the files. The dates are, as you say, confusing! There is also some additional writing on the discharge sheet which is very faint, mentioning Waterloo. I am wondering if I would gain more by seeing the original document, presumably at Kew?

Looking at the history of the battles etc of both the 51st and 57th, they seem to have always been in the same place at the same time.

Do you know how often a long term solider of would be away from England at a time? He seems to have fathered children during the time he was in the army, so presumably came home occasionally.

I really do appreciate all you have done in putting this information and files on this thread.

Thanks again.
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