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

The Peninsula Gold Medal and Waterloo pair awarded to Major-General Baron Philip von Gruben, C.B., K.C.H., 1st Hussars, King’s German Legion

Field Officer’s Small Gold Medal, for Salamanca, 2 bars, Orthes, Toulouse (Major Baron Philip Gruben); Waterloo 1815 (Major Philip Von Gruben, 1st Reg. Hussars K.G.L.) fitted with original steel clip and ring suspension, nearly extremely fine and rare (2) £18000-22000

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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See Colour Plate III.

Ex Gaskell 1911, McKenzie 1934, and Foster 1951.

Major-General Philip Moritz von Gruben C.B., K.C.H., was first commissioned in the Legion on 8 November 1803, and was gazetted on 22 December 1804. He served without permanent rank until the Battle of Salamanca, July 1812, and was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel, 18 June 1815, in recognition of his services at Waterloo, having already been nominated a Companion of the Bath on 4 June 1815. Von Gruben was one of those who actually served in the Legion at the period of its embarkation in November 1805, and who formed the first basis of the Corps.

He served in the Expedition to the Baltic 1807; Peninsula 1809-13; Southern France 1813-14; Netherlands 1814; campaign of 1815 and battle of Waterloo. He was severely wounded, 5 May 1811, at Fuentes D’Onor and was rescued from the midst of the enemy by Hussar Frederick Meyer, who cut down the French officer by whom Gruben had been wounded and having in the mêlée lost his horse, he seized and continued to fight on that of his opponent. Meyer was subsequently awarded the Guelphic Medal for this act of gallantry.

At the battle of Salamanca Major von Gruben had command of the 1st Hussars, command of the Brigade having devolved upon Colonel Von Arentschild, General Alten having been wounded early that morning. Von Gruben again commanded the regiment at Orthes, and at Toulouse he commanded the Hussars Brigade (18th Hussars and 1st Hussars K.G.L.), command of the 1st Hussars of the Legion being given to Captain Ernest Poten. He received the Gold Medal for Salamanca with bars for Orthes and Toulouse. At Waterloo, he was second-in-command of the regiment which formed part of Vivian’s 6th Cavalry Brigade.

Philip von Gruben died at Diepholz in Hannover on 13 October 1828, a Major-General in the Hannoverian service, and Colonel Commanding the 2nd Regiment of Hussars.