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Auction: 25112 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 6

Waterloo 1815 (Thomas Taylor. 1st Regiment Life Guards.), first three letters of name officially re-impressed, original steel clip with contemporary silver straight-bar suspension, mounted upon its original riband bearing a contemporary three-pronged silver buckle, very fine

Thomas Taylor first appears on the Muster Books and Pay Lists of the 1st Life Guards on 25 December 1806 and seems to have retired from service on 24 December 1817. Whilst he is not noted on the Waterloo Medal Roll, likely a clerical error as his Medal is officially named as issued and the Muster Roll states he was sent on 'Foreign Service' for the Waterloo campaign.

At the Battle of Waterloo on 18 June 1815, the total number of allied cavalry consisted of some 13,400 men, thereby making up over 18% of Wellington's army. The Life Guards brigaded as part of the 1st British (Household) Cavalry Brigade (comprising 1,319 men) all under the control of Major-General Somerset. Under his command, this brigade distinguished itself for its patience and unflinching endurance while under fire. Somerset himself lost his hat during their first charge - when he subsequently searched for it, a cannonball hit his horse, missing him by inches. The Commanding Officer of the 1st Life Guards, Lieutenant-Colonel Ferrior, led 11 charges during the battle before being mortally wounded by a sabre cut and a lance thrust. Unusually, two officers of the regiment (Captain Irby and Lieutenant Waymouth) were captured during the action. Overall, the Household Cavalry Brigade lost half of its men and horses - approximately 632 men.

As a point of curious regimental tradition, the Life Guards were mounted on black horses with their manes brushed to the left, whereas their comrades in the Royal Horse Guards (Blue) brushed their horses' manes to the right.

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Sold for
£1,500

Starting price
£1400