Special Collections

Sold on 2 April 2003

1 part

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

Lot

№ 33 x

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2 April 2003

Hammer Price:
£5,200

A good Guelphic Medal group of three to Private Eckhard Bohne, 2nd Light Battalion, King’s German Legion, wounded at Copenhagen and again at Vittoria

Guelphic Medal for Bravery 1815 (Echard Bohne, vorm Schutz im 2n Leicht Bat. K.D.L.); Military General Service 1793-1814, 4 clasps, Albuhera, Salamanca, Vittoria, St Sebastian (Eckhard Bohne, 2nd Lt. Bn. K.G.L.); Hannoverian Medal for Volunteers of the K.G.L. 1814, the first with contact marks, very fine, otherwise good very fine (3) £4000-5000

See Colour Plate II.

M.G.S. Ex Cheylesmore Collection 1930. Guelphic Medal Ex Sotheby 1886 as a single item and next appeared in the Jubilee Collection at Glendining in May 1992.

Eckhard Bohne was awarded the Guelphic Medal in the 1821 List:

‘On the 25th October 1812, near Venta del Pozo, a rearguard fight took place; only the two dragoon regiments with English cavalry and the two light battalions of infantry were engaged. Bohne was one of those, who with Sergeant Lehmann, turned on the enemy cavalry and held them back. This ever courageous soldier received a not insignificant shot wound through the left arm at Vittoria, but only towards evening was it possible to get him to leave the battlefield due to loss of blood. As a result he was confined in hospital for several months. Previously at Copenhagen he had fought bravely as a Volunteer at the taking of the suburbs and had been wounded.’ (Ref Von Wissel p59)

He is shown in the June 1815 Muster Roll as ‘on command at Ostend’ and thus missed Waterloo. He was later promoted Corporal and was still alive in 1856.