Previous Lot Next Lot

Auction: 24002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 21

Military General Service 1793-1814, 3 clasps, Fuentes D'Onor, Vittoria, Toulouse (Richard Maynard, 1st Royal Dragoons.), very lightly toned, edge knocks, nearly very fine

Provenance:
Sotheby's, 1984.

Richard Maynard was born circa 1786 in Greinton, Somerset and enlisted with the 1st Royal Dragoons in Wells at age 18. They joined the Peninsular War in 1809, disembarking at Lisbon to join General Slade, and first saw action at the Battle of Fuentes de Onoro on 5 May 1811 with Maynard in Radcliffe's 6th Troop. There they participated in a charge of the French cavalry to cover the Light Division's retreat.

After the battle, the unit moved south to join General Hill and were heavily involved in the Battle of Maguilla in June 1812, where Slade led them in an eight-mile pursuit of General Lallemand's cavalry. However, French reserve troops were waiting for them at the end of the chase and the resulting French counter attack was disastrous enough to be called 'the unluckiest combat that was ever fought by the British cavalry during the Peninsular War'. Slade was ordered home afterwards, his ill-fated charge prompting the then Viscount of Wellington to comment 'it is occasioned entirely by the trick our officers of cavalry have acquired, of galloping at everything - and then galloping back as fast as they galloped on the enemy'. Maynard was in Eckersley's 6th Troop during the conflict.

The Regiment was present at both the Battle of Vittoria in June 1813 and the Battle of Toulouse in April 1814 but did not extensively participate in either engagement. They returned to England at an unknown point before coming back to the continent in May 1815, disembarking at Ostend and joining Major-General William Ponsonby's Union Brigade. At the Battle of Waterloo, they were positioned just east of the Brussels-Genappe road and charged and routed the 1st Cuirassiers after an attack on the British left flank. The Brigade later rode to Napoleon's Grand Battery where they were met with heavy fire and suffered a 50% casualty rate, with Maynard himself wounded in the left arm by a shell. He recovered for a time in General Hospital, Brussels before rejoining his Regiment in their Occupation of Paris. Maynard was promoted Corporal in October 1815, and returned home in January 1816.

Maynard was discharged at Ballimote, Ireland in 1818 due to a pulmonic infection first caught at Ely the previous year. Census records reveal that Maynard spent the bulk of his remaining years working as a 'beer seller' and pensioner living in Wells with his wife Elisabeth. He died at age 86 on 17 February 1863 with his wife present for his death; sold together with copied research.

Subject to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium. For more information please view Terms and Conditions for Buyers.

Sold for
£800

Starting price
£800