An Important Collection of Medals to The King's German Legion, the Property of a Gentleman

Military General Service 1793-1814, 1 clasp, Salamanca (Christian Deiters, Corpl. 1st Lt. Dgns. K.G.L.) toned, nearly extremely fine £600-800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, An Important Collection of Medals to The King's German Legion, the Property of a Gentleman.

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On the day following the battle of Salamanca, the 1st and 2nd Light Dragoons earned the battle honour ‘Garcia Hernandez’ for an incident unique in the annals of British military history. During the French retreat, these two regiments charged and destroyed in succession three regiments of Foy’s rearguard, formed in three squares, which were supported by six pieces of artillery. A regiment of infantry formed in square, bristling with bayonets and with devastating fire-power on all sides, was believed to be impervious to attack from cavalry. For cavalry to break a square was unheard of. Eyewitnesses stated that after the action the dragoons, supporting their wounded, made their way slowly to the rear through the cheering ranks of the famous Light Division. Wellington, seldom lavish in his praise, wrote in his official despatch “I have never witnessed a more gallant charge than was made upon the enemy’s infantry by the heavy brigade of the King’s German Legion under Major General von Bock, which was completely successful and the whole body of infantry, consisting of three battalions of the enemy’s first division, were made prisoners.” Three weeks later, all officers of the K.G.L. were granted permanent rank in the British Army.

A total of 84 M.G.S. medals to the 1st Light Dragoons but only 5 medals with the single clasp for Salamanca. Deiters’ name does not appear on the roll for Waterloo and it is quite possible that he was one of the many casualties suffered by his regiment at Garcia Hernandez.