Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The Peninsula and Waterloo pair to Captain George Butcher, 11th Light Dragoons, Regimental Sergeant Major at Waterloo

Military General Service 1793-1814, 1 clasp, Salamanca (G. Butcher, Serjt. Major, 11th Lt. Dragns.); Waterloo 1815 ([R]eg. Serj. Maj. G. Butcher, 11th Reg. Light Dragoon[s]) fitted with contemporary replacement silver bar suspension, the first nearly extremely fine, the second with edge bruising and light contact marks, therefore nearly very fine (2) £4000-5000

Ex Mackenzie Collection 1934 and Baldwin’s February 1954.

George Butcher was born at Woodbridge, Suffolk, in 1784, and enlisted into the 11th Light Dragoons on 30 December 1799, aged 15 years. the Muster rolls of 1800 show that he was serving in Captain Sleigh’s Troop. He was already a Sergeant in 1805 and served with the regiment in the Peninsula War, the 11th going to Portugal in May 1811. He was present at the battle of Salamanca in July 1812 and returned with the regiment to England in June 1813. Butcher was appointed to Troop Sergeant Major in September 1814, and to Regimental Sergeant Major in January 1815. Thus, he served in this important rank at Quatre Bras, Waterloo, and the occupation of Paris. On 12 October 1815 he was appointed as a Cornet in the 11th Light Dragoons, and appointed Adjutant the same day. He remained with the Army of Occupation in France until November 1818, when he was promoted to Lieutenant and prepared to move with the regiment to India, arriving there in February 1819. The regimental history reports that he was present at the siege and capture of Bhurtpore in January 1826, but he was in fact on leave in Europe at this time. Butcher returned from India in 1829, was promoted to Captain in November 1834, and retired on 14 March 1837, after over 37 years service.