Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

22nd Foot Cheshire Regiment Order of Merit 1785, by L. Pingo, obverse: Hercules crowning a Roman soldier, in exergue: ‘Order of Merit Estab. MDCCLXXXV’; reverse: within a palm wreath, ‘Reward for Military Virtue from Lt. Col. Crosbie’, with circumscription, ‘XXII or Cheshire Regiment’, 38mm., bronze-gilt, with loop suspension, Ref: Balmer R.245c, Tancred p.325 (1), H.I. p.250 (1), Payne p.201 (1), good very fine £60-80

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Regimental Medals from the James N Spencer Collection.

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The 22nd Regiment Order of Merit was instituted by Lieutenant-Colonel Crosbie in 1785 when stationed at Windsor. The medal was issued in silver-gilt, silver, bronze-gilt and bronze. King George III honoured the regiment by accepting one of these medals at a general parade. By the early 1800’s the medal had fallen into disuse. In 1820 the Order was re-established by Colonel Sir Hugh Gough (see following lot).