Orders, Decorations & Medals - British Singles

Lot 2879    SESSION 14 (2.30PM THURSDAY 1ST AUG)    Orders, Decorations & Medals - British Singles

Estimate $10,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au

WATERLOO MEDAL 1815 TO KIA. Thomas Warburton, 1st Reg. Dragoon Guards. Impressed. Edge bruises and surface marks, otherwise toned good fine.

Together with a book titled 'The Waterloo Roll Call' by Charles Dalton, Second Edition, soft cover, 296pp.^Ex Spink Auction 14003 (lot 327).^Private Thomas Warburton (recorded as Warbutton on Regimental Pay Lists, also recorded as Killed in Action 18 June 1815) enlisted in the 1st Regiment Dragoon Guards in August 1812. During the Waterloo Campaign in which he served, the regiment which comprised four squadrons formed the centre of the front rank of the Household Brigade under the command of Lord Somerset. When Pack's Brigade was wavering under the numbers of the French force, Uxbridge sent his cavalry in reply. Somerset's Household Brigade scattered the cavalry and infantry on D'Erlon's left and at the same time Ponsonby's Union Brigade ripped into the divisions of Donzelot and Marcognet. The French troops broke and fled in chaos leaving countless dead and about 3,000 prisoners. Emboldened with their success, the two cavalry brigades continued their charge forward attacking the French batteries, oblivious to orders to halt. On spent mounts and in a disorganised state they fell prey themselves to a counterattack by fresh French cavalry and it was here that Warburton lost his commanding officer. As a consequence of a number of counter charges and minor skirmishes throughout the rest of the battle the regiment suffered 275 officers and men killed, wounded or missing.^Thomas Warburton is listed as Killed in Action 18 June 1815 on the Supplementary Pay List and on the Muster Rolls, however this information has not been included on the latest published transcription of the medal roll. ^The Waterloo Medal was originally intended to be awarded to all survivors of the battle and to the next of kin of those killed in action or died of wounds. Two separate lists were compiled and by the first anniversary of the battle almost all survivors had received their medals. However the striking and naming from the second list containing the names and regiments of the fatal casualties was initially deferred and then abandoned due to pressure placed on the mint to give priority to the new silver coinage.^Over the course of the next ten years, some families, mainly of officer's lobbied the authorities for their loved one's medal. Each application was carefully vetted and verified and as a result the next of kin of some officers and even fewer other ranks received the medal. As a consequence the Waterloo Medal to casualties is not only scarce, but extremely scarce to other ranks.^Copies of Dragoon Guards Quarterly Pay List and Supplementary Pay List documents and other research.