Medal of Scot who fought at Waterloo sold at auction

The medals of a Scots officer who fought at the Battle of Waterloo went under the hammer last week.

They were sold by Dix Noonan Webb in auction of Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria on Wednesday, March 17.

Included in the sale were several medals relating to Waterloo.

Among the highlights was the Waterloo Medal awarded to Sergeant William Porteous of the Royal Scots Greys, who was severely wounded with eight lance wounds in different parts of the body; his Commanding Officer later described him as ‘a worthy, good man, dreadfully wounded at Waterloo, a loss to the regiment.’

Estimated at £7,000-9,000, it sold for £17,360 to an overseas collector.

William Porteous was born in Stenton in Haddington, East Lothian and enlisted at the age of 17 in April 1794.

Christopher Mellor-Hill, head of client liaison (associate director) of Dix, Noonan, Webb, said: ‘This medal represents the famous charge of the Royal Scots Greys that are immortalised in the famous painting by Lady Butler “Scotland Forever” and Sgt Porteous was one of the most severely wounded in the charge with no less than eight lancer wounds but survived after many months care though retired to Chelsea Hospital as a result.’

Free online bidding is available at www.dnw.co.uk

 

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