Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The Waterloo Medal awarded to Lieutenant James Mill, 13th Light Dragoons, who was wounded in the hand by a sabre in the battle, and retired as a Lieutenant-Colonel in the 50th Foot

Waterloo 1815 (Lieut. James Mill, 13th Reg. Light Dragoons.) fitted with steel clip and later ring suspension, the clip a little loose, light edge bruising and contact marks, otherwise very fine £3,000-£4,000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to the 13th, 18th and 13th/18th Hussars.

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James Mill was born in Montrose, Scotland, in 1789 and grew up in Ipswich, Suffolk. He was commissioned as Ensign in the 78th Foot on 25 January 1810, was promoted to Lieutenant on 7 November 1811, and transferred to the 13th Light Dragoons on 20 February 1812. He served with the 13th Light Dragoons in the Peninsula from December 1812, and was present at the battles of Vittoria, Nivelle, Vive, Orthes, Aire, St Gaudens, and Toulouse. Placed on half-pay in 1814 upon the disbandment and reduction in the regiment, Lieutenant Mill returned to full-pay on 17 April 1815, and was present with the regiment at the battle of Waterloo where he was slightly wounded in the hand by a sabre. Promoted to Captain in the 13th Light Dragoons on 24 March 1816, he was placed on half-pay very soon afterwards on 25 May. He transferred as Captain to the 78th Foot on 6 November 1817, the regiment being posted to Dublin in the same month. He was promoted to Major in the 78th on 8 April 1826, placed on half-pay (unattached) in May 1829, and returned to the full-pay of the 50th Foot on 25 August 1848, but retired on the same date with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in the Army.

He had inherited substantial property in the Caribbean and lived there with his family for a period of time. He returned to England in about 1851 and lived at Chorleywood, Hertfordshire, until his death on 1 January 1868. Mill received the M.G.S. medal with 5 clasps but this has never appeared on the market.