Army Gold Medal for the Peninsular War, Albuhera 1811

From a collection of orders and medals awarded to General Sir Galbraith Lowry Cole (1772-1842).

Army Gold Medals were awarded to officers of the rank of major or above for participating in one or more battles in the Peninsular War (1808-1814). This is the larger medal awarded to generals and bears the battle honour 'Albuhera'.

The Honourable Sir Galbraith Lowry Cole was born 1 May 1772. He was commissioned as a cornet in the cavalry in 1787. He served as an officer with the 27th (Inniskilling) Regiment of Foot from 1805, eventually rising to the rank of general in 1830.

During the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic period Cole served in Ireland, the West Indies, Egypt, Malta, Italy and the Iberian Peninsula. In 1806 Cole, commanding the 1st Brigade, fought at the Battle of Maida in Italy. Cole gained further distinction during the Peninsular War, commanding the 4th Division. He was wounded twice, at Albuera in 1811 and at Salamanca in 1812.

As well as representing Enniskillen and Fermanagh in Parliament Cole also served terms as Governor of Mauritius (1823-1828) and Governor of Cape Colony (1828-1833). In 1833 Cole returned home with his family. He died in 1842 at Highfield Park, in Hampshire, but was buried in his family's vault at St Macartin's Cathedral, Enniskillen.