Military General Service clasp Java,
J. Leslie, K.H., Captn. 69th. Foot.
Served at the taking of Travancore in 1808 and at the capture of the Isle of Bourbon and the Isle of France in 1810 after which he served with the 69th Regiment in Java and was present at the engagements of the 10th, 22nd and 26th August 1811. He also served in the Pindaree War of 1817 and with the Army of Occupation in France.
Lieutenant General J. Leslie, 69th Foot (South Lincolnshire) Regt. 2nd Lieutenant 7.8.06, Lieutenant 2.6.08, Captain 30.11.09, Major 1.1.19, Lieut. Colonel 29.8.26 (4th Foot), Colonel 23.11.41, Major General 11.11.51, Lieut. General 26.10.58. He was appointed Colonel of the 35th Regiment in 1857 and died in 1861.
Hof und Staats Handbuch Fur das Kongreich Hannover’ for 1860 lists his K.H. being awarded in 1837 – actually one of the last KH’s awarded to a British officer,
Trevancore being the suppression of the rebellion of the Kingdom of Trevancore and Cochin, Isles of Bourbon & France being the capture of Mauritius and Rodrigues. At Java the actions of 10th August the assault on General Janssens stronghold, reducing enemy positions as they went. The Dutch military and naval station at Weltevreeden fell to the British after an attack on 10 August. The action of the 22nd being an enemy sortie from the fort early on the morning of 22 August briefly seized three of the British batteries, until they were driven back by the 69th Foot and some of the Bengal Sepoys . The action of the 26th August being the final assault on Fort Cornelis. The British stormed the fort at midnight on 25 August, capturing it after a bitter fight.
The siege cost the British 630 casualties. The defenders’ casualties were heavier, but only those among officers were fully recorded. Forty of them were killed, sixty-three wounded and 230 captured, including two French generals. Nearly 5,000 men were captured, including three general officers, 34 field officers, 70 captains and 150 subaltern officers. 1,000 men were found dead in the fort, with more being killed in the subsequent pursuit. Janssens escaped to Buitenzorg with a few survivors from his army, but was forced to abandon the town when the British approached.
