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Auction: 18003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 22

Waterloo 1815 (George May, 2nd Batt. Coldstream Gds.), original steel clip and replacement split-ring suspension, high obverse relief lightly polished, otherwise good very fine

George May served during the Hundred Days' Campaign as a Private in Colonel The Hon. A. Abercromby's Company, 2nd Battalion, Coldstream Guards. At the Battle of Waterloo on 18 June 1815, the whole of 2nd Battalion was committed to the defence of Hougoumont, a vast farmhouse complex guarding Wellington's right flank. Initially, only Lieutenant-Colonel MacDonnell's Light Company was at Hougoumont, the other Companies being positioned on the ridge. At 2.30 p.m., following the repulse of D'Erlon's Corps, the other companies marched down to reinforce MacDonnell, defending Hougoumont vigorously over the next six hours.

Hougoumont was pivotal to Wellington's strategy. Whereas he never committed more than 5% of his infantry to its defence, around 23% of Napoleon's infantry made futile attempts to capture it. Had these infantrymen been available to Marshal Ney at La Haye Sainte at 6 p.m., Ney could easily have smashed through Wellington's beleaguered centre, changing the course of the battle.

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Sold for
£4,200