Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A scarce M.G.S. and Army of India pair awarded to Colonel W. G. A. Fielding, 8th Bengal Light Cavalry and Governor General’s Body Guard

Military General Service 1793-1814, 1 clasp, Java (Lieut. W. G. A. Fielding, Govr. Genl’s Body Guard); Army of India 1799-1826, 1 clasp, Bhurtpoor (Major W. G. A. Fielding, 8th Lt. Cavy.) short hyphen reverse, officially impressed naming, extremely fine and very scarce (2) £3000-3500

Ex Glendining July 1923 and Mackenzie Collection 1934.

William George Augustus Fielding was born in London in 1784, and was appointed Cornet in the 5th light Cavalry, April 1801, and served in Bundelkhand in 1803-04. He transferred as Lieutenant to the newly-raised 8th Light Cavalry in 1805, and was attached to the Governor General’s Body Guard, as Adjutant, from March 1806 until February 1812. During this period he served with the G.G.B.G. at the capture of Java, his meritorious services at Java being placed on record by the Governor General himself.

Fielding went on Furlough to England in 1812 and, being absent from India for more than 5 years, he was struck off but was immediately restored to the Service upon his return in March 1817, although he was compelled to do duty with Roberts’s Rohilla Horse until court permission was granted for him to rejoin his regiment. He took part in the Third Mahratta war as Captain in the 8th Light Cavalry, including the action at Jubbulpore, and shared the Deccan Prize Money for General Captures at Scindhia’s Court in 1819. He commanded the Irregular Horse of Scindhia’s Contingent, 1820-23, and was appointed 1st Assistant to the Resident at Gwalior from August 1825 until September 1830, during part of which period he officiated as Resident, and was Superintendent of Dowlut Rao Scindhia’s Contingent from August 1825.

As a Major with the 8th Light Cavalry, he took part in the siege and capture of Bhurtpore, and was brought to notice for ‘his zeal and gallantry in an affair with the enemy at Bhurtpore on 18th January 1826’. Fielding became Lieutenant-Colonel of the 8th Light Cavalry in September 1829, and was appointed Resident at Katmandu, Nepal, in November 1830. He retired in April 1833, was appointed Honorary Colonel in November 1854 and died in 1868.