Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The important 13 clasp M.G.S. medal to Corporal Henry Backefeld, 1st Hussars, King’s German Legion, orderly to the Duke of Wellington in the Peninsula, and awarded the Guelphic Medal for bravery at El Boden, Vittoria and Toulouse

Military General Service 1793-1814, 13 clasps, Talavera, Busaco, Fuentes D’Onor, Ciudad Rodrigo, Badajoz, Salamanca, Vittoria, Pyrenees, St. Sebastian, Nivelle, Nive, Orthes, Toulouse (Henry Backefeld, Corpl. 1st Hussars, K.G.L.) very fine and very rare £15000-20000

From the Collection of Napoleonic War Medals formed by the late R. W. Gould, M.B.E.

Corporal Henry Backefeld was awarded the Guelphic Medal in the 1819 List:

“Was during four years continuously, orderly to the Duke of Wellington, and distinguished himself, as well by his exemplary conduct in general, as by his bravery. He furnished a proof of the latter at El Boden: The Duke of Wellington had given orders that Major General Victor von Alten’s brigade should attack the enemy as soon as they had arrived at a certain point, and rode, with his staff, some distance to the rear, from whence he could have a clear view of the action. As soon as Backefeld saw that his regiment were about to attack, he begged permission from the Duke to join his comrades, which was granted, and hurrying to his squadron he fought in every charge that it made during the day. At the battle of Vittoria, on the 21st June 1813, while acting as orderly to the Duke of Wellington, who was always at the head of his army, he captured two French dragoons, who came too near to the Duke’s staff. In the battle of Toulouse, 12th April 1814, Backefeld rushed out from among the Duke of Wellington’s staff, and liberated an English officer, who was attacked by two French cavalry soldiers - cutting one of them from his horse, and making the other prisoner, although wounded himself” (Ref Beamish p503-504).

Backefeld was invalided in 1814 as a result of wounds, one of which at least being gained in defending the Duke. His medal bears the maximum number of clasps gained by a member of the King’s German Legion, the only other recipient of 13 clasps being Gunner Fellersman of the King’s German Artillery.