Private John Orchard joined the 3rd Regiment of Foot - East Kent (Buffs) in 1809. He served in France before 1815 and returned there in September 1815. After the defeat of Napoleon, the regiment was at Croix near St. Pol (Pas de Calais) from January 1816 to June 1817 except for three months in camp near St. Omer. They were again at St. Omer in July and August 1817 and at Valenciennes in October 1817.
He married c.1816, a French woman, Victoire Nelan (Millar?) the daughter of a soldier. Their first child Jean Marie (John) was born 15 Jan 1817 at Willeman, Wail, Pas de Calais. He was baptised Catholic 26 Jan 1817, with Joachim ChalÉ, shoemaker and Marie Reine Capendu, his wife, as godparents. In November 1818, the family went to Fermoy, Ireland with the Regiment where Robert was born c. 1820.
The family arrived in Australia aboard the "Southwark" on 9 March 1822 as part of a regimental group of 21 men under Lieutenant Woods. Their third son Charles was born in Sydney in 1821. For the pay period 17 Feb. to 24 Sep 1823, John was in New South Wales for the first two musters and in Port Dalrymple for the third muster. He remained in Port Dalrymple till Mar 1824, was in Hobart Town from June to December 1825 and in Bathurst from March 1826 to Sep., Oct of 1827 when he was transferred to the 57th Regiment (West Middlesex).