Orders, Decorations and Medals

The New Zealand war medal awarded to Sergeant William French, 12th Foot, who was severely wounded at the Eureka Stockade in Australia

NEW ZEALAND 1845-66, reverse dated '1863 to 1866' (2865 Sergt. Wm. French, 1st Bn. 12th Regt.) some wear and edge bruising, otherwise nearly very fine and rare

William French enlisted at Rochester on 8 January, 1850, for service in the 12th Regiment. He served abroad in the Australian Colonies for 8 years 10 months and in New Zealand for 4 years. His papers note that he was 'severely wounded at the attack on the Rebel camp at the Eureka stockade Ballarat, Australia on the 3rd Decr. 1854.' The incident at the Eureka stockade caused considerable public outcry over the sledgehammer tactics of the army against the insurgent miners of the Eureka gold-field. Under Peter Lalor, their Commander-in-Chief, the insurgents had constructed a stockade for their protection and fortification. Although their camp held up to 800 from time to time, their strength at the time of the attack was a mere 150. The Force under Captain J.W. Thomas, 40th Regiment, comprised men of the 12th and 40th Regiments, and Police, numbering 276 in all, both mounted and foot. The attack came at 4am on Sunday 3rd December, 1854, as dawn was breaking and all was quiet in camp. The rebels had little in the way of arms. What guns they had were disadvantaged through lack of ammunition and many of the diggers wielded crudely fashioned pikes, necessitating their advancing within dangerous proximity of the copiously armed troopers. The desperate diggers vehemently fought back, though their efforts were largely ineffectual against the superior military force. Casualties amongst the insurgent miners amounted to 22 killed or died of wounds, and 12 wounded including Peter Lalor. In the British force 4 men were killed or died later of their wounds, and a further 12 were wounded, most severely, the casualties being shared equally between the 12th and 40th Regiments. William French, then a Private, was severely wounded by a gunshot in the hip. He recovered and went on to serve in New Zealand with his regiment, earning the campaign medal for his service there. The Eureka incident caused much bitterness towards the British troops stationed in Australia and, more especially, towards those that ruled from so far away but as a local newspaper commented on the day following the attack: 'We cannot have digger rule on the gold-fields and English rule in the towns.'