Soldiers of the Regiment
George David Willson
From the Exeter Gazette of 3rd January 1893
Military men will be interested in extracts from a diary which appears
in Notes and Gleanings* concerning the 4th or King’s Own Regiment of
Foot. The King’s Own was raised in Devonshire in 1689. At Waterloo they
were in the thick of the fight. Their record was 134 men and 11 officers
killed or wounded. The old colours of the Regiment are hung in the
Guildhall. One of the wounded at Waterloo was Major Willson, who
subsequently became Lieutenant Colonel.
Colonel Willson was the maternal grandfather of Dr. Blomfield, and the
latter has in his possession a diary, kept by the gallant officer, which
contains a great deal of interesting information concerning the
embarkation of the King’s Own, their operations at Waterloo and
elsewhere, and their subsequent return to England. The Colonel had a
narrow escape of an early termination to his career, inasmuch, at
Waterloo, early in the action, a shot struck him on the right breast,
but the button of his coat turned it off, and he was able to continue in
command of the Regiment. The Colonel, however, suffered afterwards from
the result of the shock.
I should say that Colonel Willson was, when “put out” an awkward
customer, if I may judge from one of his entries. He says, “When we
returned to the Chateau of M. Monnecore he seemed by no means glad to
see us. Put a sentry at his gate and a guard in his farmhouse to annoy
him. Determined to leave his house, so disgusted with him, and move to
the Chateau de Vendome belonging to the Marquis d’Ion. The Marquis is a
paralytic old gentleman of 70. His wife is sister to M. Monnecore, and
seems to posses all the enviable qualifications of her brother, with
whom she is not, however, on speaking terms. It is not that the writer
says so much, it is what his words suggest.
* Notes and Gleanings, Edited by William Cotton
Obituary
We have to record the death of Colonel George David Willson, CB, who
died on Sunday last, at Romford in his 83rd year. Colonel Willson
entered the army at an early age and was present with his regiment, the
4th (King’s Own), on the expedition to the Helder in 1799, and
afterwards at the siege of Copenhagen in 1807. He subsequently went to
the Peninsular and served under Sir John Moore at the battle of Corunna,
where he was wounded. After taking part in various actions, he was
present at the storming of Badajoz, where he was again wounded. After
taking part in various actions, he was present at the storming of
Badajoz, where he was again wounded. He was aide-de-camp to Major
General Pringle at the battle of Salamanca, and present at the capture
of Madrid and the Retiro, the siege of Burgos, the battles of Nivelle,
Nive, St. Pierre, Orthes, and St. Palais. He commanded the 4th Regiment
at Waterloo, where he was again wounded. In recognition of his services
he had received the gold medal for Badajoz, and the silver war medal
with six clasps for the other engagements in which he took part in the
Peninsular campaign.
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