Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Waterloo 1815 (Jeremiah Wyne, 2nd Batt. 3rd Reg. Guards.) fitted with replacement steel clip and ring suspension, edge bruising and contact marks, otherwise nearly very fine £2,400-£2,800

Jeremiah Wyne (or Wenn) was born in the Parish of Wymondham, Norfolk, and attested for the 3rd Foot Guards at Plymouth, Devon, on 14 December 1813, aged 30, a labourer by trade and a Volunteer from the East Norfolk Regiment of Militia. He served in France and Belgium from October 1814 until January 1816, and was present at Waterloo and at the occupation of Paris. He was discharged on 2 April 1840, in consequence of a ‘chronic cough and rheumatism’. He received the L.S. & G.C. medal in June 1841, and died at Wymondham on 10 March 1861, aged 79.

Jeremiah Wyne served at Waterloo in Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Dashwood’s Company. Before the battle Wellington ordered Dashwood to move his company from the garden of Hougoumont (which was now protected by troops in the wood) and take up a new position round the track junction at the south-west corner of the farm. This divided the defences at Hougoumont into three sectors. The second French assault came at midday and fell upon the 100 or so men of Dashwood’s company positioned in the lane. They had barely time to fire a volley or two before they were pushed steadily back towards the north-west angle of the buildings in fierce hand-to-hand fighting. At this point Dashwood fell wounded and his company fell back through the North Gate. Some 40 French soldiers of the Light Regiment rushed forward and made a determined effort to break in through the half-open gate. At their head was a giant of a man called Lieutenant Legros, appropriately known as L’Enfonceur, or the Smasher. Seizing an axe from one of the pioneers, he swung it against the panels of the gate and forced his way into the farmyard. Here, with the exception of a young drummer, they were slain to a man in the ensuing hand-to-hand fight.

Meanwhile nine officers and men greatly distinguished themselves in the very close affair of closing the gates against further French troops. Wellington later declared that ‘The success of the Battle of Waterloo turned on the closing of the gates.’

Sold with copied discharge papers and medal roll entry.