Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Waterloo 1815 (William Dodson, Royal Horse Guards.) fitted with original steel clip and ring suspension, edge bruising and light contact marks, otherwise better than very fine £2,200-£2,600

William Dodson was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, and enlisted into the Royal Horse Guards for unlimited service on 13 April 1800, aged 19, a clothier by trade. He served as a Private until his discharge at Windsor Barracks on 1 August 1816, having completed service of 16 years 110 days, plus a further 2 years for Waterloo, where he served in Major Drake’s Troop. Upon his discharge, ‘in consequence of a Gun Shot wound, he was placed on a pension of 1s per diem. His papers note that he ‘has several marks on the left shoulder front and rear occasioned by a Gunshot Wound at the Battle of Waterloo.’ The Surgeon’s report states: ‘William Dodson, by a Gunshot Wound through the left shoulder at the Battle of Waterloo on the 18th of June 1815, disabled from service.’

At Waterloo the Royal Horse Guards, 237 strong, formed part of Lord Edward Somerset’s 1st or ‘Household’ Brigade of Cavalry. The Royal Horse Guards sustained 106 casualties in the battle. Dodson’s name disappears from the pension register before 1843 having presumably died.

Sold with copied discharge papers.