Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Waterloo 1815 (Serj. John Mathias, 1st Reg. Light Drag. K.G.L.) fitted with original steel clip and ring suspension, very fine £2000-2500

From the ‘Important Collection of Medals to the King’s German Legion’, D.N.W., 2 April 2003.

Sergeant John Mathias was awarded the Guelphic Medal on 10 June 1840 for gallantry in the Peninsula war:

‘At Venta del Pozo, although his post of duty lay in the rear of the Squadron, he pressed forward courageously when the opposing lines charged each other; neither side meeting with any success. He cleared the way with powerful blows of his sword, saying to the men: “Look, youngsters, this is the way you must do it”. He was an old warrior, who had behaved heroically on all occasions.’ (Ref Von Wissel, p60)

During the retreat to Portugal a disaster was narrowly averted on 23 October 1812 at Venta del Pozo, fifteen miles from Burgos. ‘The road led across a deep, dry watercourse crossed by a narrow bridge. Anson’s brigade [11th, 12th and 16th Light Dragoons, 800 sabres] was covering the rear. Cotton deployed his horse artillery [Bull’s Troop, R.H.A., commanded by 2nd Captain Norman Ramsay] to fire at the bridge and ordered the German dragoons to charge as soon as a few French squadrons had defiled across. Unfortunately Anson’s regiments turned the wrong way when they reached the south bank, masking both the guns and the Germans. Before Bock’s brigade [1st and 2nd Dragoons K.G.L., 400 sabres] could charge the French were across in strength and there was a mêlée with both sides hacking at each other in a stationary, confused mass. Into this mass charged a division of French dragoons who had taken a wide detour and crossed the watercourse by a track far on their right. Both British brigades had to fly in disorder but they were saved by the two battalions of the Legion [1st and 2nd Light Battalions] who received the French cavalry in square and inflicted 300 casualties on them. The British brigades reformed behind them and the retreat continued in a hectic but orderly fashion.’ (Ref The Peninsular War 1807-1814, Michael Glover)

At Waterloo he served in Captain B. Bothmer’s Company, who was severely wounded and had his right leg amputated. During the battle the 1st Light Dragoons suffered over 25 per cent of their strength killed, wounded and missing. Mathias was promoted Troop Sergeant Major on 25 September 1815 but did not live to claim his M.G.S. medal.