A fine Crimea Heavy Brigade D.C.M. group of four awarded to Lieutenant W. Percy, 9th Lancers, late 4th Royal Irish Dragoon Guards, who was wounded in the famous charge at Balaklava

Distinguished Conduct Medal, V.R. (Serjt. Wm. Percy, 4th R. Irish Dn. Gds.); Crimea 1854-56, 3 clasps, Balaklava, Inkermann, Sebastopol (Serjt. W. Percy, 4th Dn. Guards), contemporary engraved naming; France, Legion of Honour, Chevalier’s breast badge, silver and enamel, both centres replaced by French gold coins of Napoleon III, severe damage overall; Turkish Crimea, Sardinian issue (T.S.M. W. Percy, 4th R.I. Dragoon Guards), regimentally impressed naming, this last with hole drilled at 6 o’clock, heavy edge bruising and contact marks throughout, with resultant loss of naming in places, thus fine or better (4) £8000-10000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The collection of Medals formed by the Late Clive Nowell.

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D.C.M. London Gazette 26 March 1855.

For gallant conduct in the Field on 25 October 1854.

French Legion of Honour London Gazette 4 August 1856.

William Percy was born in Dorchester in May 1828 and enlisted in the 4th Dragoon Guards in April 1842. Advanced to Corporal in August 1851 and to Sergeant in August 1854, he was shortly afterwards present with his regiment in the famous charge of the Heavy Brigade at Balaklava, on which occasion he was wounded (Lord Raglan’s despatch refers), and recommended for an award - in the event, as verified on his officer’s statement of services, he received the ‘Silver Medal and a gratuity of £15 for distinguished service in the Field’ at Balaklava on 25 October 1854, and was appointed a Chevalier of the French Legion of Honour, General Sir Edward Hodge, G.C.B., recalling in Little Hodge that he ‘received an order to send in the name of the individual whom I conceived best entitled to distinction. I sent in that of Sergeant William Percy. It is I believe to receive a French Order.’ As a result, Percy became the only man in his regiment to receive these two distinctions.

Returning to the U.K. in September 1855, he was advanced to Troop Sergeant-Major in December 1857 and, most unusually, granted a commission as a Cornet in the 9th Lancers in August 1867. Appointed the regiment’s Adjutant in May 1869, he gained advancement to Lieutenant in March 1871 and was placed on half-pay in March 1876, after 34 years service in the cavalry.