Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Sold by order of a direct descendant

The fine Napoleonic group of awards to Colonel Sir Thomas Noel Hill, K.C.B., Grenadier Guards, late Portuguese Army, who was later Deputy Adjutant-General in Canada

i. The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, K.C.B. (Military) Knight Commander’s neck badge, gold and enamels, Georgian hallmarks but date letter obscured, complete with full wide neck cravat with gold clasp fittings
ii. Army Gold Cross 1806-14, for Buzaco, Ciudad Rodrigo, Salamanca, Vittoria, 1 clasp, St. Sebastian (Colonel Thomas Noel Hill) complete with gold swivel-ring bar suspension
iii. Waterloo 1815 (Lt.-Col. Sir Thomas Noel Hill, K.C.B. 1st Guards) fitted with original steel clip and ring suspension
iv. Portugal, Order of the Tower and Sword, Knight’s breast badge in gold, several points a little bent
v. Portugal, Order of the Tower and Sword, Knight’s breast badge in gold and enamels
vi. Portugal, Commanders Cross, for five actions, silver-gilt and enamels, the green enamel laurel leaves inscribed for actions of Busaco, Ciudad Rodrigo, Salamanca, Vittoria, and St. Sebastian, the reverse centre with enamelled monogram, fitted with oak leaf and acorn suspension loop - one just four Commanders crosses awarded for five actions, some small enamel chips
vii. Portugal, Campaign Cross 1816, for five campaigns, English pattern, gold and enamel, one section of green enamel wreath lacking on the last, generally nearly very fine or better (7) £45000-55000

Thomas Noel Hill was born on 14 February 1784, the seventh son of Sir John Hill, third baronet of Hawkstone, Shropshire, and younger brother of General Lord Hill (later Viscount Hill). He entered the army as a Cornet in the 10th Light Dragoons on 25 September 1801, becoming Lieutenant in 1803 and Captain in 1805, and exchanged into the 53rd Foot in 1806.

In 1809, when the Portuguese Army was organized by Lord Beresford, Sir Noel was appointed to the command of the First Portuguese Infantry, with the local rank of Colonel, and received the repeated notice and thanks of Lord Wellington, and other General Officers, for his brave and able conduct at several sieges, as well as on the open field of battle. He was present at the battles of Roleia, Vimiera, Corunna, and Busaco, the siege and capture of Ciudad Rodrigo, the battles of Salamanca, Burgos and the subsequent retreat, and Vittoria, and the capture of St. Sebastian. For these services he was rewarded with a cross and one clasp. When the reduction of the Portuguese Army took place, he was appointed to a Company, as Captain and Lieutenant-Colonel, in the First Guards, by his Royal Highness the Duke of York, and was on duty with that regiment at Brussels for some months. He was knighted on 28 July 1814 and nominated a Knight Commander of the Bath, on the enlargement of that order, 2 January 1815, and also had the order of the Tower and Sword, which he received permission to accept, 11 March 1813.

When Lord Hill arrived in Flanders, Sir Noel obtained leave to join his Lordship’s Staff, and was immediately appointed an Assistant Adjutant-General to the wing of the army under the command of Lord Hill. Sir Noel attended the Duchess of Richmond’s ball at Brussels on the night of 15 June 1815, and served as Assistant Adjutant-General under Lord Hill at the battle of Waterloo. For his conduct at Waterloo he received the Bavarian order of Maximilian Joseph.

Sir Noel Hill married, on 27 July 1821, Anna Maria Shore, fourth daughter of the first Lord Teignmouth, by whom he had six surviving children. He retired from the Grenadier Guards on half-pay on 27 May 1824. He was Deputy Adjutant-General in Canada in 1827-30, and was afterwards appointed commandant of the cavalry depot, Maidstone, where he died on 4 January 1832.