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Auction: 23003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 23

A fine 'Household Brigade Charger's' Waterloo Medal awarded to Corporal R. Green, 1st (King's) Dragoon Guards who, after participating in one of the most famous cavalry charges in British military history, saw further 'action' in later life as a Parish Constable, on one occasion being called to break up a prize-fight - much to the consternation of the watching crowd

Waterloo 1815 (Corporal Richard Green, 1st Reg. Dragoon Guards), polished, original suspension clip with replacement ring, good fine and better

Provenance:
Glendining's June 1911
Spink November 2013

Richard Green, of Butterworth in Leicestershire, was born around 1778 and, after initial employment as a framework knitter, on 23 April 1801 he enlisted with the 1st (King's) Regiment of Dragoon Guards, at Leicester, for unlimited service. Remaining with this regiment for sixteen years, he is confirmed upon the Medal Roll as present at the Battle of Waterloo - on which bloody occasion the regiment made a great name for themselves.

One of four regiments comprising the Household Brigade, the remaining units comprised the 1st Life Guards, 2nd Life Guards and Royal Horse Guards (Blues). The Brigade was positioned to the rear-centre of the Allied army, directly above the fortified farmhouse of La Haie Sainte and made a well-executed charge at approximately 2.20pm; French cavalry of the 1st and 4th Cuirassiers had just broken a battalion of Hanoverian infantry and the Household Brigade went forward to counter-attack and save the survivors as best they could. This they achieved - but like their comrades in the Union Brigade they made the mistake of pursuing their shattered enemy too far, leaving themselves - on winded horses and on muddy ground - open to counter-attack in turn. Consequently, of the 583 officers and men who mounted up that day 279 (some 48%) were casualties by the end of the battle - including their commanding officer and six other officers. Thankfully for Green, however, he seems to have got through without a scratch.

Remaining with the 1st Dragoon Guards until 1817, on 14 May of that year he was discharged 'in consequence of being a Supernumary and general ill health which renders him unfit for Military Service'. His conduct was assessed as 'Good in every respect' and, interestingly, he signed his own name on his discharge papers. Settling in the village of Enderby in Leicestershire, Green was later appointed a Parish Constable - a position he was holding in June 1837 when, aged 58, he became unintentionally involved in further close-quarters fighting. Upon an illegal prize-fight taking place outside the village, Green and another constable attempted to break it up and disperse the large crowd - a local newspaper later took up the story:

'Joseph Siddans and John Parker, 18, were charged with being engaged in a prize fight at Enderby, on the 13th of June, and John Freeston, 25, and George Siddans, 23, were charged with being seconds on the occasion. Joseph Siddans and John Parker pleased guilty. It appeared that 400 or 500 people assembled in a field near Enderby to witness the fight, and that when George Spence and Richard Green (constables of Enderby) endeavoured to stop the fight, the mob repulsed them. Mr. Hodgson, the county magistrate, rode into the ring, and ordered the mob to disperse, but instead of obeying his orders, they pelted him with dirt, and it was not until the arrival of the superintendent and several policemen that the disturbance was quelled. The Jury having found the seconds guilty, they were each sentenced to six months' hard labour; and Parker and Joseph Siddans to three months'. (The Leicestershire Mercury, Saturday 1 July 1837, refers). Green later moved to the village of Hathern, Leicestershire, and married Rebecca Bellamy in 1848, and returned to Enderby where he was appointed Parish Clerk. He died in October 1862 at the age of 83 and was interred in the village churchyard.

Sold with copied Discharge papers and a recent biographical summary.

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Sold for
£2,300

Starting price
£1600