I recently discovered that my Great (x3) Grandfather, Samuel Hayes, served in the 47th Regiment of Foot from 5 December 1808 thru December 1832. Medal rolls indicate he served in 2/47th during the Peninsula War, with entitlement to the MGSM with Vittoria and San Sebastian clasps. The lack of the Barrosa clasp suggests he was in one of the battalion/centre companies.
I'm heading to Kew on 2 Oct to dig through the 2/47th muster rolls. I also have a number of books on order including Harley's "Veteran", "The Spanish Ulcer: a History of the Peninsular War", "A Commanding Presence: Wellington in the Peninsula 1808-1814", "Wellington and the Siege of San Sebastian 1813", "Vittoria 1813", Wylly's "Loyal North Lancashire Regiment", and others that cover the First Anglo-Burmese War.
I'm interested in finding other primary sources that might shed more light on the locations and travels Samuel undertook while in service. For example, are there any records of the vessels that transported the 2/47th to Gibraltar, Cadiz etc.?
Any pointers to sources (or additional books that would be of use) would be very much appreciated as I dig into this previously-unknown aspect of my family history.
Now that this thread has been resurrected, one of Samuel Hayes medal roll entries for the Peninsular War lists his Battalion and Company as 1st Battalion (which can't be correct since the 1st Bn was in the East Indies throughout the Peninsular War period) and Yates. I'm thinking this must have been his Company Commander while serving with the 2nd Bn, 47th Foot in Spain because his Company Commanders during his later service with the 1st Bn were Hutchison and Sadlier.
Is there any way to confirm that Yates was his Company Commander in Spain?