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Auction: 23003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 63

(x) The Waterloo and Military General Service pair awarded to Private W. Burrows, 15th (The King's) Regiment of (Light) Dragoons (Hussars), who was wounded in the chest by grapeshot during the Battle of Waterloo on 18 June 1815

Waterloo 1815 (Wm. Burrows. 15th or King's Reg. Hussars.); Military General Service 1793-1814, 2 clasps, Vittoria, Toulouse (William Burrows, 15th Hussars.), both with highlights polished, scratches to obverse and reverse fields, minor edge knocks, about very fine (2)

William Burrows is confirmed upon both the Waterloo Medal roll and the Military General Service Medal roll with this number and combination of clasps. Hailing from West Derby in Lancashire (now a suburb of Liverpool), Burrows attested for the 15th Hussars on 2 March 1809 - at the age of 18 - and was discharged in July 1816 as a result of the wound he suffered at Waterloo.

The 15th (The King's) Regiment of (Light) Dragoons (Hussars) joined Wellesley's army in the Iberian Peninsula in February 1813 and served in Spain until the conclusion of hostilities. At the Battle of Vitoria (21 June 1813) they were part of Lord Dalhousie's Seventh Division and supported this column as they advanced across the bridge as Tres Puentes; at Toulouse on 10 April 1814 they acted in support (the terrain being mostly unsuitable for cavalry action) as part of Lord Somerset's Hussar Brigade.

Mobilised for active service for the Hundred Days campaign, the 15th were one of three regiments (the others being the 7th Hussars and 13th Light Dragoons) comprising Major-General Colquhoun Grant's 5th Cavalry Brigade. As such they were stationed behind the right-centre of Wellington's position and frequently called upon to support the squares of Allied infantry in localised counter-attacks against French cavalry. By the end of the battle they had suffered casualties of some five officers and 69 men killed and wounded, one of the latter being Burrows who had been hit in the chest by grapeshot. Subsequently assessed as 'Unfit for Further Service', he appears to have lived into old age and is noted as still drawing a pension in July 1860.

Sold with copied Discharge papers and some handwritten research notes.

Subject to 5% tax on Hammer Price in addition to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium.

Sold for
£2,700

Starting price
£1700