Auction Catalogue
The fine K.C.B. and Crimean War group awarded to General Hon. Sir Percy Feilding, Coldstream Guards
The Most Honourable Order of The Bath, K.C.B. (Military) Knight Commander’s set comprising neck badge, 18 carat gold and enamels, hallmarked London 1878; and breast star in silver, gilt and enamels; Crimea 1854-56, 4 clasps, Alma, Balaklava, Inkermann, Sebastopol (Honble. Percy Feilding, Coldsm. Gds.) contemporary engraved naming, fitted with silver ribbon buckle; Legion of Honour, Knight’s breast badge, silver gold and enamels, a piece of superior manufacture but lacking obverse centre; Order of the Medjidie, 5th Class breast badge by Paul Stopin, Palais Royal, silver, gold and enamels; Turkish Crimea, Sardinian issue, unnamed, fitted with Crimea suspension, the last four suspended from a contemporary silver wearing bar, contact marks to the Crimean medals, otherwise nearly very fine or better (6) £4000-5000
The Honourable Percy Robert Basil Feilding, KCB, was born June 26, 1827, the second son of William Basil Percy Feilding, 7th Earl of Denbigh, PC, DCL, and Mary Elizabeth Kitty Moreton, eldest daughter of the 1st Earl of Ducie. He was born at the family seat, Newnham Paddox, Warwickshire. He had four brothers and four sisters and was educated at Rugby School. He entered the army on August 8, 1845, when he was gazetted an ensigncy by purchase in the 85th Shropshire Light Infantry Regiment. On August 7, 1846, he transferred to the Coldstream Guards by purchase. He was made Adjutant in October 1850 and promoted Lieutenant on August 21, 1851, serving with the 1st Battalion.
In 1854 the 1st Battalion was required for active service when war was declared against Russia. He embarked with his Battalion for the Crimea on February 22, 1854, and was appointed Major of Brigade to the Brigade of Guards in the month of June and served in that capacity at the battle of the Alma, September 20, 1854, for which he was mentioned in Lord Raglan's Despatch (London Gazette October 10, 1854). On October 18, 1854 he was placed on the staff of the 1st Division and acted as Deputy Assistant Quarter-Master-General at the battles of Balaklava and Inkermann.
At Inkermann, early in the day he had his horse shot under him, so he joined the Coldstreamers and fought with them. According to John Wyatt, the Battalion Surgeon: “The Brigadier Major was most severely wounded while humanely endeavouring to assist a wounded soldier who was lying on the ground; and the Brigadier, who had also belonged to the Regiment was wounded in the arm.” He was again mentioned in Lord Raglan's Despatch (London Gazette December 2, 1854). Just ten days later he was granted two years’ pay and made Brevet Major before being sent home.
He arrived at Newnham Hall on March 1, 1855 to a hero's welcome and while in England he was invited to be present at the medal ceremony at Horse Guards on Mav 18, 1855, in which Queen Victoria presented him with his Crimea Medal. After convalescence leave, Major Feilding returned to the Crimea in August 1855. He was promoted Captain and Lieutenant-Colonel by purchase in November 1855. He commanded No. 1 Company in December 1855, whilst his brother, Captain William Henry Albert Feilding, was in No. 8 Company. In March 1856, still in command of No. 1 Company, he fought at the siege and fall of Sebastopol.
Following peace being signed in Paris in March 1856, the Battalion embarked at Kamiesh Bay in June 1856, and sailed from the Crimea in H.M.S. Agamemnon, arriving at Spithead on the 28th, whence they were sent by train to Aldershot Camp. On July 9, 1856, the Crimean Battalions made their public entry into London for the Victory Parade at Hyde Park. Soon after Percv Feilding was posted to the 2nd Battalion at Windsor and on July 28, 1858 he was posted to Dublin as Assistant Quarter Master General. He stayed in Dublin until April 1862 when he returned to England to marry Lady Louisa Isabella Harriet Thynne, daughter of the 3rd Marquess of Bath. On October 7, 1865, Percy Feilding was promoted Colonel and on October 23, 1867 he
took command of the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards. He was invested as a Commander of the Bath on June 1, 1869 and was promoted Major-General on May 26, 1870.
Major-General Feilding took command of the regiment in January 1871, but still retained the command of the 1st Battalion, till he was placed on half pay on September 5, 1877. He had served 32 years in the Coldstream Guards and commanded the Regiment for six years. As a General Officer, Major-General Feilding was posted to Malta on January 1, 1879, and commanded a Brigade there for five years. In April 1885, he took over command of the South Eastern District, based at Dover and was promoted Lieutenant-General in April 1886. He commanded the South East District for two years. On April 1, 1891 he was promoted General, one of only 19 Generals in the 1892 Hart’s List. He retired in 1892, and on June 2, 1893, General Feilding was elevated to K.C.B., Knight Commander of the Bath.
On January 25, 1900, General Feilding was made honorary Colonel of the Suffolk Regiment, at Bury St Edmunds. He died on Saturday, January 9, 1904 at 48 Grosvenor Gardens, after a short illness, aged 76. His obituary was published in The Times on January 11, 1904. He is buried at St Editha Church at Monks Kirby, Warwickshire, where there is a monument to him inside the church. Sold with comprehensive research including an original signed carte de visite of Feilding as a Lieutenant-Colonel wearing his miniature medals.
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