His Majesty's Second Regiment of Dragoon Guards

Whereof General William Loftus is Colonel.

I. Age and Entitlement.  These are to Certify: THAT Ralph Tonge born in the Parish of Dean in, or near the Town of Bolton in the County of Lancaster was enlisted for the aforesaid Regiment at Bolton in the County of Lancaster on the 30th Day of March 1812 at the Age of twenty two years for Unlimited Service

II. Service.  THAT he hath served in the Army for the space of Twelve Years and 267 Days, after the Age of Eighteen, according to the subjoined STATEMENT OF SERVICE.  Period of Service: 30th March 1812 - 21st Dec 1824.

III Authority and Cause of Discharge.  THAT by Authority of His Royal Highness the Com in Chief Horse Guards dated 28th October 1824 HE IS HEREBY DISCHARGED in consequence of thickening and diseased state of the ???atic ???? pro???? from repeated accidents in riding

IV. Not disqualified for Pension.  THAT he is not to my knowledge, incapacitated by the Sentence of a General Court Martial, from receiving Pension

V. Character &c. &c. &c. THAT his general Conduct as a Soldier has been Good

VI. Settlement of all Demands.  THAT he has received all the just Demands of Pay, Clothing, &c., from his Entry into the Service to the date of this Discharge, as appears by his Receipt underneath.

VII. Acknowledgement of the Receipt of all Demands.  I, Ralph Tonge do hereby acknowledge that I have received all my Clothing, Pay, Arrears of Pay, and all just Demands whatsoever, from the time of my Entry into the Service to the time of Discharge.

Certified by R. Fergurson, Commanding the Troop or Company

Signature of Soldier: Ralph Tonge X his mark

TO prevent any improper use being made of this Discharge, by its falling into other Hands, the following is a Description of the said Ralph Tonge.  He is about thirty five Years of Age, is Five Feet Nine Inches in height, Brown Hair, Hazle Eyes Dark Complexion, and by Trade or Occupation a Weaver

Given under my Hand, and the Seal of the Regiment, at Norwich this 11th Day of Nov. 1824.

This is an extremely delicate unhealthy man , by trade a weaver and nearly thirteen years in the Regiment during which period he has laboured under repeated attacks of fever, dysentery and diarrhoa.  Particularly frequent since he was quartered at Mont Ejhan? in France in the month of May 1816 when he suffered a sever and protracted attack of fever and Dysentery which produced extreme disability for a considerable length of time after.  But he continued at intervals performing his duty until the arrival of the Corps at York in July 1822 when having fired off his pistol at riding school drill he was violently and unguardedly b????? on the pummil of the saddle by his mare ???? and kickings by which his testes were most severely injured, confining him under treatment nearly seven weeks, and establishing a predisposition to a return of the inflamation on the slightest exciting cause, producing a considerable thickening and ???? of the spermatic p???? which totally incapacitates him from fulfilling his duties as a Dragoon.  He is therefore recommended to be invalided and Discharged

by Andrew Brown, Surgeon 2nd Dragoons

Notes: Approx date of birth 1790.