Lt Col John Gurwood (1788–1845), British Army, was a career soldier who took it upon himself to edit and publish the Dispatches of the Duke of Wellington which form a major contribution to military history. John Gurwood was born on 7 April 1788 in Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire. His father, Richard Gurwood, was born in Langton, Yorkshire and his mother, Marisco Jay, came from Essex. The couple had a son, Richard Jay, in 1782 but did not marry until October 1787. Richard Gurwood died in October 1791. He had almost certainly been a London merchant, his will describes him as 'Esquire of Hoddesdon', and he left a substantial sum to his wife and two sons and a small estate at Langton to John. Marisco Jay married Henry Okey in May 1796 and the family seem then to have lived in Hackney. The Okeys had two children: Charles born in May 1797; and Marisco born in June 1798. John had a close relationship with his mother and became extremely fond of his stepfather and of Charles and Marisco. Military life Service in the Peninsula Gurwood may have started work in a merchant's office but on 30 March 1808 he enlisted as an Ensign in the 52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot, a decision he said was strongly opposed by his mother. It was a non-purchase commission received on the recommendation of Lord Charles Somerset who wrote of Gurwood in February 1812 that he was 'a young officer in whose welfare I have always been much interested, and for whom I procured his first commission.' Gurwood served in the Peninsula from August 1808 to June 1812 taking part in the battle for Ciudad Rodrigo, the Combat of the Coa, the fight for Badajoz, and the battle at Sabugal where he was severely wounded in the leg. At Ciudad Rodrigo on 19 January 1812 he took part in the forlorn hope in the lesser breach. Despite being wounded in the head, he gained the rampart and, guided by a French officer whom he saved from being threatened by British soldiers, made his way with his men to the Citadel and took the surrender of the Governor in customary fashion by receiving his sword. Gurwood escorted the Governor and his party to Wellington who then presented Gurwood with the Governor's sword. It was the proudest moment of Gurwood's life. Officers who survived a Forlorn Hope expected promotion